Universal Influenza Vaccination may be Necessary

As health insurance premiums rise, consumers may experience significant benefits from maintaining their health. Universal flu vaccination is one crucial part in this, according to a recent announcement.

"The new recommendation seeks to remove barriers to influenza immunization and signals the importance of preventing influenza across the entire population," the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.

H1N1 has killed up to 17,000 people in the United States alone, according to CDC data, compared to the 36,000 people who die from the seasonal flu yearly. While it is still too early to determine the number of deaths from complications related to swine flu, this number may increase deaths from H1N1 to 36,000.

Frail elderly individuals are more likely to die from seasonal flu, according to the CDC. H1N1 has a different set of victims, with school-aged children and the morbidly obese suffering greater consequences. CDC data showed that the death for children was five times higher than the usual rate, while morbidly obese individuals were hospitalized or died four times more often.

Flu experts are still debating whether or not the swine flu has reached its peak globally, although its effects have waned in Europe and North America.

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