Flu Vaccination: Who should do it, who should not-Fight the Flu

Everyone six months and older is recommended for annual flu vaccination with rare exception. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have any questions regarding which flu vaccine is best for you and your family.

Vaccination to prevent flu is particularly important for people who are at high risk for serious complications from flu. For a complete list of people who are at higher risk for flu complications, see People at High Risk of Developing Flu-Related Complications.

For the 2016-2017 season, CDC recommends use of injectable flu vaccines-inactivated influenza vaccine (or IIV) or the recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV). The nasal spray flu vaccine (live attenuated influenza vaccine or LAIV) should not be used during 2016-2017.

People who can get the flu shot:

*Different flu shots are approved for people of different ages (see note), but there are flu shots that are approved for use in people as young as 6 months of age and up. Flu shots are approved for use in pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions.

People who can’t get the flu shot:

*Children younger than 6 months are too young to get a flu shot.

*People with severe, life-threatening allergies to flu vaccine or any ingredient in the vaccine. This might include gelatin, antibiotics or other ingredients. See Special Consideration Regarding Egg Allergy for more information about egg allergies and flu vaccine.

People who should talk to their doctor before getting the flu shot:

*If you have an allergy to eggs or any of the ingredients in the vaccine. Talk to your doctor about your allergy. See Special Consideration Regarding Egg Allergy for more information about egg allergies and flu vaccine.

*If you ever had Guillain-Barre Syndrome (a severe paralyzing illness, also called GBS). Some people with a history of GBS should not get this vaccine. Talk to your doctor about your GBS history.

*If you are not feeling well, talk to your doctor about your symptoms.

Note: There are certain flu shots that have different age indications. For example, people younger than 65 years of age should not get the high-dose flu shot or the flu shot with adjuvant and people who are younger than 18 years old or older than 64 years old should not get the intradermal flu shot.

For more information, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/flu or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.

Disclaimer: this is taken from a pamphlet printed by the CDC US Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Please call or email the above number for more information.