In its Recommendations on Prevention and Control of Influenza for 2009--2010 , the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends annual influenza vaccination for the following people:

Children and Adolescents

All children aged 6 months through 18 years should be vaccinated annually.

Children and adolescents at higher risk for influenza complications should continue to be a focus of vaccination efforts as providers and programs transition to routinely vaccinating all children and adolescents, including those who:

• are 6 months through 4 years (59 months) of age;
• have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, cognitive, neurologic/neuromuscular, hematological or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
• are immunosuppressed (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus);
• are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and therefore might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection;
• are residents of long-term care facilities; and
• will be pregnant during the influenza season.

Note: Children less than 6 months of age cannot receive influenza vaccination. Household and other close contacts (e.g., daycare providers) of children less than 6 months of age, including older children and adolescents, should be vaccinated.

Adults

Annual vaccination against influenza is recommended for any adult who wants to reduce the risk of becoming ill with influenza or of transmitting it to others.

Vaccination is recommended for all adults without contraindications in the following groups, because these persons either are at higher risk for influenza complications, or are close contacts of persons at higher risk:

• persons 50 years of age and older;
• women who will be pregnant during the influenza season;
• persons who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, cognitive, neurologic/neuromuscular, hematological or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
• persons who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus;
• residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;
• health-care personnel;
• household contacts and caregivers of children less than 5 years of age and adults 50 years of age and older, with particular emphasis on vaccinating contacts of children less than 6 months of age; and
• household contacts and caregivers of persons with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for severe complications from influenza.
  

Protect Your Baby From Serious Diseases

• All children 6 months through 18 years of age should receive flu vaccine every year, during flu season.  Ask your doctor or nurse about getting your children vaccinated against influenza in the fall.  

Downloadable versions of Immunization Brochures can be found at www.michigan.gov/immunize under "Immunization Brochures for the Whole Family"

Brochures can be ordered free of charge at http://www.healthymichigan.com/