MONDAY, Dec. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Georgia appears to be experiencing an influenza outbreak, mostly among school-aged children and caused by the influenza B strain, which can be well controlled with this season's influenza vaccine, according to a Dec. 3 press briefing by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The state of Georgia is classifying the increase in influenza cases as a regional outbreak, and the cases in Georgia may be an early sign of what will occur in the rest of the country later in the flu season, according to CDC officials. However, the flu strains currently circulating in Georgia seem to be a close match for this year's influenza vaccine, which targets the H1N1 pandemic strain as well as the H3N2 and influenza B strains.
It is recommended that all Americans, except children under 6 months of age, get vaccinated against influenza, Anne Schuchat, M.D., director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at the press briefing. In addition, to be effective, two doses of the vaccine may be required for children under 9 years of age.
"We're very encouraged by the number of people who have already received a flu vaccine, but many others could benefit from being vaccinated and do still need to be protected," Schuchat added.
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