Groups Recommended for Vaccination
- Routine annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged ≥6 months who do not have contraindications.
- A licensed, age-appropriate influenza vaccine (IIV, RIV4, or LAIV4) should be used. Consult package information for age indications.
- Emphasis should be placed on vaccination of high-risk groups and their contacts/caregivers. When vaccine supply is limited, vaccination efforts should focus on delivering vaccination to (no hierarchy implied by order listed):
- Children aged 6–59 months;
- Adults aged ≥50 years;
- Persons with chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (excluding isolated hypertension), renal, hepatic, neurologic, hematologic, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
- Persons who are immunocompromised due to any cause, (including medications or HIV infection);
- Women who are or will be pregnant during the influenza season;
- Children and adolescents (aged 6 months through 18 years) receiving aspirin- or salicylate-containing medications and who might be at risk for Reye syndrome;
- Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;
- American Indians/Alaska Natives;
- Persons who are extremely obese (BMI ≥40); and
- Caregivers and contacts of those at risk:
- Health care personnel in inpatient and outpatient care settings, medical emergency-response workers, employees of nursing home and long-term care facilities who have contact with patients or residents, and students in these professions who will have contact with patients;
- Household contacts and caregivers of children aged ≤59 months (i.e., <5 years), particularly contacts of children aged <6 months, and adults aged ≥50 years; and
- Household contacts and caregivers of persons with medical conditions that put them at high risk of severe complications from influenza.
Learn more about preventing the Flu on the CDC website
