Customs and Border Protection will not administer flu vaccines to migrants held in border detention facilities, CBS News reported. The decision comes just weeks before the flu season in the U.S. is expected to hit.
The agency stated it will not provide the vaccine because people are held for a short duration and the complexities of a vaccination program, CBS News reported. In the past year, three migrant children died from the flu, the news outlet also reported.
According to the CDC, flu vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older, particularly for those who may be vulnerable to serious complications from influenza. The vaccine can help prevent illnesses and hospitalizations. In 2017, a very deadly year, influenza contributed to more than 145,000 global deaths, and about 80,000 in the U.S.
CBP’s decision comes at a time when the agency is under fire for reports about the care and safety of migrants, particularly children, held in U.S. border facilities.
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Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."