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Communicable Disease Control

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State Public Health Lab


Influenza Vaccine Recommendations 

 

Please call your local health department or the influenza hotline at 1-800-275-0659 to inquire about availability. Click here to see local health department phone numbers.

Who should be vaccinated?
The following groups are considered high priority and should seek influenza vaccination as soon as possible.

  • children 6 months to 23 months of age
  • adults 65 years of age and older
  • persons 2 years to 64 years with chronic medical conditions*
  • all women who will be pregnant during influenza season
  • residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities
  • children 6 months to 18 years of age on long-term aspirin therapy
  • health-care workers with direct patient care, and
  • out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children <6 months of age.

Persons in the priority groups, and those caring for them, should search locally for vaccine if their regular health care provider does not have vaccine
available.

Who should not be vaccinated?
The following groups should not be vaccinated without first consulting a physician:

  • people who are allergic to eggs;
  • people who have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of influenza vaccine;
  • people who previously developed Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) after receiving influenza vaccine;
  • people with a moderate to severe acute illness should not be vaccinated until their symptoms have decreased.

What about the nasal vaccine, FluMist?
Healthy individuals aged 2-49 years who are not pregnant may get the live attenuated vaccine (nasal spray). This includes health care workers and contacts of children less than 6 months of age. The live attenuated vaccine should not be used for health care workers who care for severely immunocompromised patients. For more information on FluMist you may visit their website at: www.flumist.com

Where can I go to get vaccinated?
Information about providers and clinics that have vaccine can be obtained by calling your health care provider, local health department or the UDOH’s Immunization webpage or hotline at 1-800-275-0659.

What else can I do to protect myself and others
from the flu?
UDOH recommends the following simple steps to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like influenza:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick and keep your distance from others when you are sick.
  • Wash your hands often.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Use alternative greetings to handshaking during the flu season.

*Persons with chronic medical conditions include those with pulmonary illnesses such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or asthma; cardiovascular illnesses, such as congestive heart failure; chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes mellitus); kidney dysfunction; hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell anemia; immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]).

 


fa 9/17/2007