• Medicare has covered the cost of influenza immunizations since 1993.
• Influenza immunizations are typically widely available in clinics, drugstores, health fairs, and senior centers throughout the flu season.
• Influenza immunization rates are significantly lower among African American and Latino adults than for white adults.

How are we doing?
The Central Valley has a slightly higher (better) percentage of adults age 65 years and older who reported receiving an influenza immunization in 2001 (70%) when compared to adults in the San Francisco Bay Area (69%), California (67%), and the Los Angeles Region (64%). However, to meet the National Healthy People 2010 Objective, 110,000 more seniors need to be immunized in the Central Valley.

The North Valley and the San Joaquin Valley had rates of immunized older adults (72% and 66%, respectively) much lower than the Sacramento Metropolitan Area at 77%. When compared to all counties in the Central Valley, El Dorado County has the highest (best) percentage of older adults who reported receiving an influenza immunization in the past 12 months (81%). At the other end of the spectrum, Kings and Merced counties had the lowest rates at 58%. Fifteen of the counties experience higher rates than those of the Los Angeles Region and thirteen fare better than the statewide rate.