- All persons aged 6 months and older should be vaccinated annually.
- Protection of persons at higher risk for influenza-related complications should continue to be a focus of vaccination efforts.
- When vaccine supply is limited, vaccination efforts should focus on delivering vaccination to persons who:
- are aged 6 months--4 years (59 months);
- are aged 50 years and older;
- have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, neurologic, hematologic, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
- are immunosuppressed (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus);
- are or will be pregnant during the influenza season;
- are aged 6 months--18 years and receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who therefore might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection;
- are residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities;
- are American Indians/Alaska Natives;
- are morbidly obese (body-mass index is 40 or greater);
- are health-care personnel;
- are household contacts and caregivers of children aged younger than 5 years and adults aged 50 years and older, with particular emphasis on vaccinating contacts of children aged younger than 6 months; and
- are household contacts and caregivers of persons with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for severe complications from influenza.
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