Vaccination: Who Should Do It, Who Should Not and Who Should Take Precautions

Who Should be Prioritized for Flu Vaccination During a Vaccine Shortage

When vaccine supply is limited, vaccination efforts should focus on delivering vaccination to the following people (no hierarchy is implied by order of listing):

• Children aged 6 months through 4 years (59 months);
• People aged 50 years and older;*
• People with chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, neurologic, hematologic, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
• People who are immunosuppressed (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by Human Immunodeficiency Virus);
• Women who are or will be pregnant during the influenza season and women up to two weeks after delivery;
• People who are aged 6 months through 18 years and receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who therefore might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection;
• People who are residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities;
• American Indians/Alaska Natives;
• People with extreme obesity (body-mass index [BMI] is 40 or greater);
• Health care personnel;
• Household contacts and caregivers of children younger than 5 years and adults aged 50 years and older, with particular emphasis on vaccinating contacts of children aged younger than 6 months; and
• Household contacts and caregivers of people with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for severe complications from influenza.

*Among adults, complications, hospitalizations, and deaths due to influenza are generally most common among those 65 years old and over. However, adults 50 years old and over are a priority group for vaccination because this group may be more likely to have chronic medical conditions that put them at higher risk of severe influenza illness.

Special Consideration Regarding Egg Allergy

The recommendations for vaccination of people with egg allergies have not changed since last season (2016-2017).

People with egg allergies can receive any licensed, recommended age-appropriate influenza vaccine and no longer have to be monitored for 30 minutes after receiving the vaccine. People who have severe egg allergies should be vaccinated in a medical setting and be supervised by a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic conditions.