Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination of the elderly in Taiwan

In 1998, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to provide free influenza vaccination to high-risk groups, mainly the elderly. The purpose of this study is to determine: (1) the annual mortality rate from influenza and pneumococcal-related illnesses such as pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema and asthma and (2) the effectiveness of and adverse events associated with the influenza vaccination. In the elderly, influenza vaccination caused the annual death rate due chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, and asthma to decline steadily but had no effect on the annual pneumonia death rate. The only adverse effect of concern was vertigo (in approximately 2-3%).