School-based immunization of students ages 5-18 can be a cost-effective way of fighting influenza. That’s the conclusion of a study published Jan. 23 on the Health Affairs web site.
In one large multistate trial, school-based immunization saved an estimated $171.96 per student-household over the course of a flu season, say a team of researchers led by Jordana Schmier. Indeed, the researchers found that reductions in direct and indirect flu-related costs during the peak week of flu season alone offset the incremental costs of school-based immunization.
The difference in costs during the peak week of flu season between intervention and control households was small: only 71 cents. However, over the course of the entire flu season the difference would likely be magnified: Intervention households would be expected to incur costs of $759.92, versus $931.88 for control households--a $171.96 difference. “The major cost disadvantage for intervention schools is the costs of the vaccine themselves. But by peak week, most students who are going to be immunized have already received their vaccines, leaving intervention schools to reap the savings from their higher vaccination rate for the rest of the flu season,” Schmier explained. Read the abstract.
