The C-D-C is expanding the age range of young children the agency says should get flu shots. Immunization program manager Barbara Ludwig says the recommendations take into account the groups of people found to be most at risk from winter illness, or most likely to spread it to others.
The prime ages for flu shots or the “live mist” vaccine are over fifty years of age, and six months to 59 months of age, an increase from last year in the age range for children. Up till this year the vaccine was recommended for children six to 23 months old, and Ludwig says expanding that to kids up to age five, or even nine years of age, takes into account how readily they spread germs.
Part of the concern, she says, is that “Children are among our best spreaders of influenza,” and they’re more likely to have complications that send them to the hospital. Ludwig says there are no worries about a shortage of supplies of the vaccine this year. The vaccine hasn’t all been delivered yet, and she doesn’t expect the entire supply to arrive at public-health distribution points until late this month or early November.
Ludwig says Iowans can call their doctors or public-health providers to find out when they should schedule fall immunizations or look for public flu-shot programs.
Related web sites:
Centers for Disease Control Flu guidelines