Influenza vaccine helps 50-64 year olds stay at work

Workers age 50-64 who received influenza vaccine lost substantially fewer days of work and worked fewer days while ill, according to a new study in the Feb. 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

Given the concerns about antiviral drug resistance among this year’s flu strains, the study highlights the importance of vaccination to prevent influenza.

The burden of influenza-like illnesses during the flu season is significant in working adults between the ages of 50 and 64. Uncertainty regarding the impact of the flu as well as the benefits of vaccination may contribute to low vaccination rates in that segment of the population.