National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is December 7-13. This national health observance was established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to highlight the importance of continuing influenza vaccination through the holiday season and beyond.
Historically, seasonal flu vaccination drops significantly after the end of November. Influenza activity usually peaks between December and February and can last as late as May. As long as influenza viruses are circulating and causing illness, vaccination can provide protection against the flu and should continue to be encouraged. While patients are engaged in holiday mode, they may need to be reminded that if they haven't gotten their seasonal flu shot that now is a great time for almost everyone (6 months and older) to get a flu vaccine to protect themselves and their loved ones from flu.
To help physicians increase vaccination rates, ACP's Immunization Portal has a series of free resources for members to use in counseling patients. Find these valuable resources at ACP Immunization Portal.
Also, ACP's Quality Connect has a free program for medical residents that provides evidence-based strategies for increasing vaccination rates. The online program and instructions on how to implement the program are available on it ACP's Quality Connect link.