A Pilot Study for Evaluating a Nation-wide School-based Influenza Vaccination Program in Taiwan

摘要

Background: Epidemic influenza causes serious mortality and morbidity in temperate, subtropical, and tropical countries annually. Recent studies show that school-age children are the major spreaders of influenza transmission, and also strong evidences prove that vaccinating schoolchildren against influenza is the cost-effective way to reduce influenza-related morbidity among children and their households. Thus, Taiwan CDC has decided to provide the flu shots focusing on first and second grade students in the entire country since November 1, 2007.