The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices passed a resolution to expand the groups of children recommended to receive influenza vaccine under the Vaccines for Children program this season.
ACIP, which advises CDC on immunization issues, recommended that VFC-eligible children who are household contacts of persons at high-risk for influenza receive the vaccine. The resolution, approved in late December, went into effect immediately.
ACIP also recommended that more adults receive the influenza vaccine, if adequate supplies of the vaccine are available.
ACIP recommended that health departments and health care providers who have adequate vaccine to meet the demands of high-risk groups, should also make influenza vaccine available to adults aged 50-64, and out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of persons in high-risk groups. That change was effective Jan. 3.