#FluShot

A federal advisory committee to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that all Americans—including children, pregnant women, and adults—receive single-dose influenza vaccines that do not contain thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative long scrutinized despite decades of safe use. This move, which could soon lead to an official CDC policy, reflects an ongoing international spotlight on vaccine ingredients and the public’s persistent concern over vaccine safety—a topic with direct relevance for Thailand’s immunization practices and public confidence.

Many older Thais have consistently sought out vaccinations for diseases like shingles, influenza, and pneumonia—a strategy that is increasingly validated by a wave of new international research that also carries critical implications for the Kingdom’s rapidly aging society. These findings not only reinforce the wisdom of vaccine compliance among Thailand’s elderly populations but reveal surprising new benefits, including a reduced risk of dementia, according to recent studies published and reported globally, most notably in a major New York Times article.