Panic swept the country a few months ago, when the public was alerted of a shortage for this year's supply of flu vaccine. Health and Human Services secretary Tommy Thompson promised that those at risk?people over 65, children ages six months to two years, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses, and health care workers?would be provided for, still leaving a large segment of the population potentially at risk. Fearful, consumers headed across the border to Canada while some began smuggling in illegal doses with the hopes of getting the coveted vaccine.



Thankfully, that same under-immunized group has not been besieged by the sneezy-achy-stuffy head-fever that makes it hard to get out of bed, let alone get through the day bug. Regardless, manufacturers say, now is not the time for consumers let their defenses down.

?Unfortunately the flu season is a long one, typically occurring from November through March. Many people erroneously believe if they are lucky enough to avoid the dreaded symptoms until after the holidays, they are safe for another year. Naturally maintaining good health is a year-long job, but my advice is to continue taking additional supplements throughout the entire flu season,? said Grace Ormstein, M.D., medical director and scientific advisor for Houston-based Himalaya USA.

According to Botanical Laboratories, Inc.?s (BLI, Ferndale, WA) director of marketing Kevin Cobb, ?Increasing focus on immune health products during the off-season is a great way to get customers to focus on it prior to becoming sick.?

Noted Louise MacIntosh, R& D, for Futurebiotics (Hauppauge, NY), ?Raising consumer awareness for any issue is a difficult task, especially when dealing with something as complex as the immune system.?

Case in point: A recent consumer survey reported by Natrol (Chatsworth, CA) concluded that most Americans do not think about immune system health preventatively.

In fact, the survey, conducted last summer by Penn, Schoen, and Berland Associates, found only 2 percent of respondents said they do. Thirty-six percent of those polled think of their immune system only when not feeling well, and 34 percent don't know or think about their immune system at all.

The next step for retailers is to change the consumer mindset to think of immune health products, where the intent is to strengthen the immune system before the consumer gets sick.

?The good news is 55 percent of consumers are interested in knowing what they can do everyday?big or small?that can positively affect their immune system,? said Natrol's CEO Elliott Balbert. ?By becoming more attuned to the factors that impact our body's natural defense systems, consumers will now have the necessary ammunition to make a difference.?

As Easy As 1, 2, 3

Start simple, when it comes to building up immune health defenses, said Garden of Life's vice president of medical affairs, Joseph Brasco M.D., in his white paper, ?Simple Steps to Bolster Your Immune System To Help Prevent Colds and the Flu.? According to Brasco, improving immune system health starts with five easy steps?advanced hygiene, diet, supplementation, sleep, and reducing stress.

To start, Brasco said he would recommend Garden of Life's Clenzology Advanced Hygiene System.

?I believe that [advanced hygiene] is highly effective because it goes beyond normal hand washing to help improve?hygiene practices so that [the] body can focus on supporting [the] immune system,? said Brasco. ?Advanced hygiene is designed to systematically clean and remove germs from the five areas where they are most likely to enter the body: the hands (particularly underneath the fingernails), the corners of the eyes, the nasal passageways, the ear canals, and the mouth. I believe that an advanced hygiene regimen can support the immune system and can assist in the reduction of colds and flu, allergies, and sinus problems.?

Added Orem, UT-based Xlear, Inc.?s vice president of business development, Brent McKinley, ?I think more doctors are encouraging prevention versus treatment, and the media has been more aggressive in talking about what to do just in case you can't get a flu vaccine. Anytime there is a shortage of traditional medications, people will turn to alternative tactics and natural remedies that they are familiar with.?

Xlear's Nasal Wash is said to help keep sinuses free of infection-causing or allergy-triggering bacteria...

Connect With the Customers: Find out which buttons your customers respond to?money, self-preservation, romance, or recognition, recommended Sebastian Andino, project coordinator, North American Herb & Spice/Physician's Strength (Buffalo Grove, IL).

?If it is self-preservation, tell them they have to protect themselves from killer germs! If it is money, ask them if they can afford to be sick this year'it costs a fortune in time and money. If it is romance, tell them that when we are healthy, that is when we can really make a difference. If it is recognition, tell them that they are much too important ?people depend of them to be healthy,? Andino half-joked.

Media Blitz: Manufacturers recommended stores, whenever possible use radio programs, and local news newspaper articles and advertisements, to get the word out to consumers about the benefits of immune support.

?Retailers with access to enough space for a seminar presentation will gain tremendously by promoting credentialed speakers to give presentations on immune response to their customers,? said Quality of Life Labs? Cheatham. ?These seminars should be supported by in-store flyers, direct mail activity, posters and advertising especially in local newspapers and on radio.?