Vaccination efforts for all groups should continue into December and later, for as long as vaccine is available. You should not receive a flu shot too far in advance because the antibodies may begin to decline a few months after vaccination.

NOTE: Flu vaccine used by VSA/HFA is not approved for pregnant women nor children in the state of California. Click here to review the California state law.

Target Groups for Vaccination
Those at increased risk for complications from the flu, including:

• People aged 65 years and up;
• Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities that house persons of any age who have chronic medical conditions;
• People of all ages who have chronic disorders of the pulmonary or cardiovascular systems, including asthma (hypertension is not considered a high-risk condition);
• People of all ages who have required regular medical follow-up or hospitalization during the preceding year because of chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes mellitus), renal dysfunction, hemoglobinopathies, or immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]);
• People of all ages who have any condition (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other neuromuscular disorders) that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk for aspiration;
• Children and adolescents (aged 6 months-18 years) who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and, therefore, might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza infection;
• Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season; and
• Children aged 6-23 months.

NOTE : Flu vaccine used by VSA/HFA is not approved for pregnant women nor children in the state of California. Click here to review the California state law.

Those aged 50-64 years
Those who can transmit influenza to high-risk individuals

• Employees of assisted living and other residences of high risk individuals;
• People who provide home care to high risk individuals; and
• Household contacts (including children) of high risk individuals.

Other Considerations for Specific Populations
Pregnant women
Women who will be pregnant during the flu season should be vaccinated because of their increased risk for flu-related complications.

Breastfeeding women
The flu vaccine is safe for breastfeeding mothers and their infants.

Travelers
People at high risk for complications of the flu, who were not vaccinated during the previous fall or winter, should consider a flu shot if they plan to travel to the tropics, travel with organized tourist groups at any time of year, or travel to the Southern Hemisphere during April-September.

• People with a severe (anaphylactic) allergy to eggs or other components of the vaccine
• People who are significantly ill with fever should not be vaccinated until their symptoms are gone (this does not include minor illnesses, with or without fever)
• Children less than six months old

Possibly people with a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)

The vaccine you inhale is referred to as LAIV, for live attenuated influenza vaccine. That means that the viruses in this vaccine are basically still alive and able to replicate, while the viruses in the plain old “inactivated” flu shot are “dead” and unable to do so. Both vaccines contain the same virus strains, which are grown in eggs. Currently the LAIV is only approved for healthy people aged 5-49 years, while the plain old flu shot is approved for most people older than 6 months.

Use of both available vaccines (the inactivated flu shot and LAIV) is encouraged for eligible people every flu season, especially people in recommended target groups. During periods when the flu shot is in short supply, use of LAIV is especially encouraged when possible for those eligible (including health-care workers) because use of LAIV by them might considerably increase the availability of the flu shots for high-risk people. Those who have received the LAIV should avoid contact with severely immunosuppressed people for 7 days after vaccination.

The LAIV licensed for use in the U.S. beginning in 2003 is produced by MedImmune, Inc. (Gaithersburg, Maryland) and marketed under the name FluMist™. For more information, please review the current ACIP report or visit the MedImmune website.

NOTE: Flu vaccine used by VSA/HFA is not approved for pregnant women nor children in the state of California. Click here to review the California state law.