Flu Prevention

This page provides information about the 2011-2012 influenza season, including information about the disease activity and this season's vaccines.

Disease Activity

National Data

The Epidemiology and Prevention Branch in the Influenza Division at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collects, compiles and analyzes information on influenza activity year round in the United States and produces FluView, a weekly influenza surveillance report, from October through mid-May. The US influenza surveillance system is a collaborative effort between CDC and its many partners in state, local, and territorial health departments, public health and clinical laboratories, vital statistics offices, healthcare providers, clinics, and emergency departments. Information in five categories is collected from eight different data sources that allow CDC to:

• Find out when and where influenza activity is occurring
• Track influenza-related illness
• Determine what influenza viruses are circulating
• Detect changes in influenza viruses
• Measure the impact influenza is having on deaths in the United States

To view the most recent FluView report, please visit the CDC website. 

District Data

The Division of Epidemiology- Disease Surveillance and Investigation produces regular influenza surveillance reports during the influenza season. 

2012-2013 reports

• MMWR Week 52 (December 23, 2012 - December 29, 2012)
• MMWR Week 1 (December 30, 2012 - January 5, 2013)
• MMWR Week 2 (January 6, 2013 - January 12, 2013)
• MMWR Week 3 (January 13, 2013 - January 19, 2013)
• MMWR Week 4 (January 20, 2013 - January 26, 2013)
• MMWR Week 5 (January 27, 2013 - Febraury 2, 2013)
• MMWR Week 6 (February 3, 2013 - February 9, 2013)
• MMWR Week 7 (February 10, 2013 - February 16, 2013)
• MMWR Week 8 (February 17, 2013 - February 23, 2013)
• MMWR Week 9 (February 24, 2013 - March 2, 2013)
• MMWR Week 10 (March 3, 2013 - March 9, 2013)
• MMWR Week 11 (March 10, 2013 - March 16, 2013)
• MMWR Week 12 (March 17, 2013 - March 23, 2013)
• MMWR Week 13 (March 24, 2013 - March 30, 2013)
• MMWR Week 14 (March 31, 2013 - April 6, 2013)
• MMWR Week 15 (April 7, 2013 - April 13, 2013)
• MMWR Week 16 (April 14, 2013 - April 20, 2013) 
• MMWR Week 17 (April 21, 2013 - April 27, 2013)
• MMWR Week 18 (April 28, 2013- May 4, 2013)
• MMWR Week 19 (May 5, 2013- May 11, 2013)
• MMWR Week 20 (May 12, 2013 - May 18, 2013)

2011-2012 reports:

• MMWR Weeks 4 – 5 (January 22, 2012 – February 4, 2012)
• MMWR Weeks 6 – 7 (February 5, 2012 – February 18, 2012) 

Vaccines

Each year, experts from the FDA, WHO, CDC and other institutions study virus samples collected from around the world to identify the influenza viruses that are the most likely to cause illness during the upcoming influenza season so that people can be protected against them through vaccination.

The Northern Hemisphere's 2011 - 2012 seasonal influenza vaccine contains the following three vaccine viruses:

• an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus;
• an A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like virus; and
• a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus.

These are the same viruses that were selected for the Northern Hemisphere for the 2010-2011 influenza vaccine.

For additional information on influenza vaccines and vaccine selection, please visit the CDC website.

View a complete list of disease factsheets offered by the Division of Epidemiology- Disease Surveillance and Investigation.   

Reportable Diseases in the District of Columbia  [PDF]