U.S. falling short of goals for flu immunizations

ATLANTA (AP) — Not enough American adults are getting vaccinated against the flu, and the nation will probably fall short of the immunization-rate goals it set for the year 2010, federal health officials said Thursday.

The reasons include recurring vaccine shortages and a failure to educate older Hispanics about the importance of vaccinations, said Gary Euler, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The government set 2010 goals of a 90 percent flu vaccination rate for people 65 and older, and 60 percent for younger adults who have high-risk conditions.

But the rate for senior citizens was 64.6 percent in 2004, down from 65.6 percent the year before, Euler said.