For younger individuals, flu shots are RECOMMENDED for:
- Those 6 months of age and older at high risk, including those who live and care for those at risk.
Risk factors:
- asthma
- lung disease
- kidney disease
- long-term aspirin treatment
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- diabetes
- anemia
- blood disorders
- pregnancy (past third month)
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- weakened immune system (due to cancer, steroid use, HIV/AIDS, or other immune system diseases)
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For younger individuals, flu shots are ENCOURAGED for:
- Healthy children 6 months or older
- Household contacts and out-of-home caretakers of infants 0-23 months of age
- People living in dormitories or under crowded conditions
- Anyone who wants to reduce his or her chance of catching influenza
What are the risk of a flu shot?
A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. The risk of a vaccine causing serious harm or death, however, is extremely small. Serious problems from a flu vaccine are very rare, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The viruses in inactivated influenza vaccine have been killed, so you cannot get influenza from the vaccine.
You should talk with your doctor before getting a flu vaccine if you:
- Ever had a serious allergic reaction to eggs or to a previous dose of influenza vaccine
- Have a history of Guillain-Barre' Syndrome If you have a fever or are severely ill at the time the shot is scheduled, you should wait until you recover before getting the flu vaccine