Who should get a flu shot?

Each beginning of autumn, the Vaccine Advisory Committee of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics releases a summary of the Vaccination recommendations against seasonal flu 2013-2014, an acute contagious respiratory infection caused by different viruses, which can range from mild in healthy people to fatal in especially vulnerable people.

The Spanish Association of Pediatrics (AEP) has been recommending for several years that the flu vaccine should be included in all calendars for healthy children over six months (babies under six months cannot receive the vaccine), but as of now it is not Thus, it is especially recommended for certain risk groups. Let's see then, Who should get a flu shot?

Risk groups have been identified in whom the vaccine reports great benefits. We will focus on children and adolescents with underlying diseases in whom the consequences of a complication could be very serious, for example:

Children from 6 months and adolescents in the following situations or underlying diseases

  • Chronic respiratory disease (eg cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, bronchiectasis, asthma and bronchial hyperreactivity, etc.).
  • Severe cardiovascular disease (congenital or acquired).
  • Chronic metabolic disease (eg diabetes, congenital metabolism errors, etc.).
  • Chronic kidney disease (eg renal failure, nephrotic syndrome, etc.) or liver disease.
  • Chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
  • Congenital immunodeficiency (excluding isolated IgA deficit) or acquired (administration of systemic corticosteroids at high and sustained doses is included).
  • Functional or anatomical asplenia.
  • Oncological disease
  • Moderate or severe hematologic disease (eg hemoglobinopathy, leukemia, etc.).
  • Chronic neuromuscular disease and moderate or severe encephalopathy.
  • Moderate or severe malnutrition.
  • Morbid obesity (BMI greater than or equal to 3 standard deviations above the average).
  • Down syndrome or other genetic disorders with risk factors.
  • Continuous treatment with acetylsalicylic acid (due to the risk of Reye's syndrome in the case of infection with wild influenza virus).
  • Teen pregnancy

Healthy children from 6 months and healthy teenagers living with risk patients

Its application is also recommended to children and adolescents no underlying disease but who live with risk patients such as children or adults belonging to the previous risk groups.

Adults in contact with children and adolescents belonging to risk groups

Vaccination is also recommended for adults who live or care for children and adolescents belonging to risk groups, especially when there are babies under six months with risk factors, since they cannot receive the vaccine.

Influenza vaccination is also recommended for health workers who work with children and pregnant women in any trimester of pregnancy.

Video: Why Do Some Health Care Workers Avoid Flu Shots? A Kaiser Permanente Study (March 2024).