'Tis the Season

Flu season, that is. October and November are the recommended months during which one should get a flu shot. The CDC has some guidelines (which you can read in their entirety here):

People who should get vaccinated each year are:

1. People at high risk for complications from the flu, including:
   • Children aged 6-59 months,
   • Pregnant women,
   • People 50 years of age and older, and
   • People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions;
   • People who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.
     
     
2. People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
   • Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu (see above)
   • Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
   • Healthcare workers.

Use of the Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine

It should be noted that vaccination with the nasal-spray flu vaccine is always an option for healthy persons aged 5-49 years who are not pregnant.

Who Should Not Be Vaccinated

There are some people who should not be vaccinated without first consulting a physician. These include

• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
• People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past.
• People who developed Guillain-Barr syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously.
• Influenza vaccine is not approved for use in children less than 6 months of age.
• People who have a moderate or severe illness with a fever should wait to get vaccinated until their symptoms lessen.