Swine-flu fears push seasonal shots to record high

ATLANTA (AP) — Fears of swine flu helped boost vaccination for ordinary seasonal flu last year, with a record 40 percent of adults and children getting the vaccine, federal health officials said today.

The jump was most dramatic in children, but vaccinations also increased in healthy adults under 50, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers.

For all ages, the highest seasonal-flu vaccination rate previously was about 33 percent, in the 2008-2009 season.

Flu shots have been around since the 1940s.