No, summer isnt over yet. But preparations for the next flu season, which typically begins in October, have already started.

The FDA said today its approved the formulation for the 2011-12 vaccine. As we reported last month, the new vaccine looks a lot like it did last year it will protect against the type of influenza A virus that caused the H1N1/swine flu pandemic, another type of influenza A virus (H3N2) and a type of influenza B virus. But you cant skip the shot even if you had it last year, since the immunity it confers isnt particularly long-lived.

The CDC has recommended since last year that everyone six months and older be vaccinated.

Six manufacturers CSL Limited, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, ID Biomedical Corp. (a GSK subsidiary), MedImmune Vaccines, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics and Sanofi Pasteur are licensed to produce and distribute vaccines in the U.S. this year, the FDA says. Different brands and types of vaccines are approved for different age groups.

On Friday, GSK announced that the first lots of its FluLaval vaccine have been released by the FDA, with distribution of its Fluarix vaccine to follow in the next several days. And Novartis announced that it has begun to ship its Fluvirin vaccine.

A new vaccine, Sanofis Fluzone Intradermal, was approved by the FDA in May. Its a shot, but unlike other flu shots its injected under the skin rather than into the muscle. It may be appealing to needle-phobes; Sanofi says the needle is 90% shorter than the kind used for intramuscular injection.

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