Who Should Get Vaccinated?  

It is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that certain people be vaccinated each year. These people are at high risk for developing serious flu complications, or they live with or care for other people at high risk for serious complications.

During flu seasons when vaccine supplies are limited or delayed, ACIP makes recommendations regarding priority groups for vaccination. People who should get vaccinated each year include:

o    People at high risk for complications from the flu
o    Children ages six months—five years
o    Pregnant women
o    People 50 years of age and older
o    People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
o    People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
o    People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from the flu, including
o    Healthcare workers

Who Should Not Get Vaccinated?

The following people should not be vaccinated without first consulting a physician:

o    people who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs
o    people who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past
o    people who developed Guillan-Barre Syndrome (GBS) within six weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously; normally, about one in 100,000 people each year will develop GBS, an illness characterized by fever, nerve damage and muscle weakness
o    children less than six months of age

People with moderate or severe illness and a fever should wait until after symptoms lessen to get vaccinated.

For more information, visit the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices website:

Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/acip/index.htm