Definition of Influenza vaccination priorities
Influenza vaccination priorities: The influenza (flu) vaccine is recommended for persons at high risk for serious complications from influenza virus infection.
This includes:
- Everyone age 50 or more;
- Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that house persons of any age who have long-term illnesses;
- Adults and children over 6 months of age who have chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma;
- Adults and children over 6 months of age who need regular medical care or had to be in a hospital because of metabolic diseases (like diabetes), chronic kidney disease, or weakened immune system (including immune system problems caused by medicine or by infection with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV/AIDS]);
- Children starting at 6 months and teenagers up to 18 years who are on long-term aspirin therapy and therefore could develop Reye syndrome after the flu;
- Women who will be more than 3 months pregnant during the flu season.
- People in close or frequent contact with anyone at high
risk, including:
- Doctors, nurses, and other employees in hospitals and doctors' offices, including emergency response workers;
- Employees of nursing homes and long-term care facilities who have contact with patients or residents;
- Employees of assisted living and other residences for people in high-risk groups;
- People who provide home care to those in high-risk groups;
- Household members (including children) of people in high-risk groups.
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The following groups of people should NOT get a flu shot before talking with their doctor:
- People who are have a severe allergy to hens' eggs
- People who have had a severe reaction to a flu shot in the past
- People who previously developed Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) in the 6 weeks after getting a flu shot
Last Editorial Review: 10/22/2004
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