Yesterday, there was a "stimulating" discussion after the question was posed "Will you get a flu shot?"
I thought I would take this opportunity to summarize the CDC Recommendations as to whom should receive each type of vaccination: Seasonal Flu Vaccine and Novel H1N1 Vaccine.
These are recommendations. No one is forced to get a flu shot. No one is required to get a flu shot. None of the members of the Federal Death Panel played a role in determining these recommendations.
Here they are:
(And finally...this thread is indended to be a PSA. I encourage discussion and questions regarding the recommendations, but flames about the evil intentions of the medical field are not appreciated)
I thought I would take this opportunity to summarize the CDC Recommendations as to whom should receive each type of vaccination: Seasonal Flu Vaccine and Novel H1N1 Vaccine.
These are recommendations. No one is forced to get a flu shot. No one is required to get a flu shot. None of the members of the Federal Death Panel played a role in determining these recommendations.
Here they are:
Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
People who should get the seasonal vaccine each year are:
- Children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday
- Pregnant women
- People 50 years of age and older
- People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
- People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
- People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
- Health care workers
- Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
- Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
2009 H1N1 Vaccine
The groups recommended to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine include:
Once the demand for vaccine for the prioritized groups has been met at the local level, programs and providers should also begin vaccinating everyone from the ages of 25 through 64 years. Current studies indicate that the risk for infection among persons age 65 or older is less than the risk for younger age groups. However, once vaccine demand among younger age groups has been met, programs and providers should offer vaccination to people 65 or older.
- Pregnant women because they are at higher risk of complications and can potentially provide protection to infants who cannot be vaccinated;
- Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age because younger infants are at higher risk of influenza-related complications and cannot be vaccinated. Vaccination of those in close contact with infants younger than 6 months old might help protect infants by cocooning them from the virus;
- Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel because infections among healthcare workers have been reported and this can be a potential source of infection for vulnerable patients. Also, increased absenteeism in this population could reduce healthcare system capacity;
- All people from 6 months through 24 years of age
- Children from 6 months through 18 years of age because cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in children who are in close contact with each other in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread, and
- Young adults 19 through 24 years of age because many cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in these healthy young adults and they often live, work, and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population; and,
- Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.
Links...all this information is found on CDC.govWho Should NOT Be Vaccinated (Both vaccines)
There are some people who should not get a flu vaccine 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.
- People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine.
- Children less than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group), and
- People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated.)
(And finally...this thread is indended to be a PSA. I encourage discussion and questions regarding the recommendations, but flames about the evil intentions of the medical field are not appreciated)