Flu Vaccine Coming to the Pacific

Week of October 15, 2007

Stars and Stripes reports that U.S. military health officials across Japan and Okinawa say influenza vaccine shipments are arriving and their base clinics and hospitals soon will receive their allotments. Shortages are not expected. A big change this flu season is that U.S. servicemembers and civilians ages 2 to 49 will receive vaccine in the form of a mist, similar to a nasal spray. Flu vaccinations are mandatory for U.S. servicemembers. For more information on the influenza vaccines, visit the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (USACHPPM) website and the Center for Disease Control's Preventing Seasonal Flu webpage.