Definition of Influenza vaccination priorities

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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.
• 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