Flu vaccine

From IKE

From http://www.canadianguidelines.com/PDF/26_Pneumonia_Adult.pdf

Vaccine should be given annually to:

People at high risk of influenza-related complications:

• adults and children with chronic cardiac or pulmonary disorders that are severe enough to require regular medical follow-up or hospital care (including bronchopulmonary dysplasia, cystic fibrosis, and asthma)
• people of any age who are residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities
• people ≥65 years of age
• adults and children with chronic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and other metabolic diseases, cancer, immunodeficiency, immunosuppression (due to underlying disease and/or therapy), renal disease, anemia, and hemoglobinopathy
• adults and children who have any condition that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk of aspiration
• healthy children 6–23 months of age
• children and adolescents (6 months–18 years) with conditions treated with long-term acetylsalicylic acid
• people at high risk of influenza complications (as outlined above) embarking on travel to destinations where influenza is likely to be circulating.

People capable of transmitting influenza to those at high risk:

• healthcare and other service providers in facilities and community settings who, through their activities, are potentially capable of transmitting influenza to those at high risk for influenza complications
• those who provide services within closed or relatively closed settings to persons at high risk (e.g., crew on ships)
• household contacts (adults and children) of people at high risk of influenza complications, including household contacts of children <6months of age who are at high risk of complications from influenza but for whom there is no currently licensed vaccine, household contacts of children 6–23 months of age (whether or not they have been immunized), pregnant women if they are expected to deliver during influenza season (as they will become household contacts of their newborn)
• those providing regular child care to children 0–23 months of age, whether in or out of home.

Others:

• people who provide essential community services
• people in direct contact with poultry infected with avian influenza during culling operations
• healthy persons 2–64 years of age should be encourage to receive the vaccine, even if they are not in one of aforementioned priority groups.

Protection begins 2 weeks post vaccination and lasts <1 year (may be as short as 4 months in the elderly).