Healthcare providers are on the front lines of preventing, containing and treating seasonal flu during this flu season. In addition to regular updates on the flu in Kane County, this page provides the information and tools you need to ensure your patients have the information to make informed decisions about their health and their children’s health during this flu season.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends use of any licensed age-appropriate flu vaccine for this season. Vaccination is recommended to be received by end of October. People with severe egg allergies can receive any licensed flu vaccine but in a medical setting under the supervision of a health care provider who can recognize and manage severe allergic reactions.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) continues to recommend influenza vaccination for all children starting at six months of age except where medically contraindicated. The following are AAP updates for the current flu season:
1. Both inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) are recommended for children with no preference.2. All pediatric influenza vaccines this year are quadrivalent vaccines. The age indication for some pediatric vaccines has been expanded; therefore, there are now 4 egg-based quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV4s) licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for administration to children 6 months and older, 1 inactivated cell-based quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (cIIV4) for children 4 years and older, and 1 quadrivalent live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV4) for children 2 years and older. No trivalent vaccines are expected to be available for children this season.3. New formulations of licensed influenza vaccines with a volume of 0.5 mL per dose have been approved for children 6 through 36 months of age. Children 6 through 35 months of age may now receive either the 0.25- or 0.5-mL dose, with no preference, and children ≥36 months of age (3 years and older) continue to receive a 0.5-mL dose.4. Children 6 months through 8 years of age who are receiving influenza vaccine for the first time or who have received only 1 dose before July 1, 2019, should receive 2 doses of influenza vaccine ideally by the end of October, and vaccines should be offered as soon as they become available. Children needing only 1 dose of influenza vaccine, regardless of age, should also receive vaccination ideally by the end of October.5. A new antiviral medication has been licensed for treatment of influenza in children.
1. Both inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) are recommended for children with no preference.
2. All pediatric influenza vaccines this year are quadrivalent vaccines. The age indication for some pediatric vaccines has been expanded; therefore, there are now 4 egg-based quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV4s) licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for administration to children 6 months and older, 1 inactivated cell-based quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (cIIV4) for children 4 years and older, and 1 quadrivalent live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV4) for children 2 years and older. No trivalent vaccines are expected to be available for children this season.
3. New formulations of licensed influenza vaccines with a volume of 0.5 mL per dose have been approved for children 6 through 36 months of age. Children 6 through 35 months of age may now receive either the 0.25- or 0.5-mL dose, with no preference, and children ≥36 months of age (3 years and older) continue to receive a 0.5-mL dose.
4. Children 6 months through 8 years of age who are receiving influenza vaccine for the first time or who have received only 1 dose before July 1, 2019, should receive 2 doses of influenza vaccine ideally by the end of October, and vaccines should be offered as soon as they become available. Children needing only 1 dose of influenza vaccine, regardless of age, should also receive vaccination ideally by the end of October.
5. A new antiviral medication has been licensed for treatment of influenza in children.
A seasonal vaccine is distributed routinely every year. While there are many different flu viruses, this year the majority of flu vaccines protects against the four viruses that research suggests will be most common. The 2019-20 influenza vaccine are made to protect against the following four viruses:
All regular dose flu shots for the current season are quadrivalent.
For more information on the 2019-2020 flu vaccine recommendations please go to https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2019-2020.htm
Helpful Information
2019 - 2020 CDC Influenza Main Information PageCDC Influenza Vaccine Recommendations for 2019-2020CDC Influenza Information for Health ProfessionalsCDC Communications to Healthcare ProvidersFAQs About the 2019-2020 Influenza Season CDCOur KCHD Flu Vaccine Page
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IDPH Illinois Dept. of Public HealthIDPH Facts for ProvidersCDC Centers for Disease ControlCDC InfluenzaCDC Influenza/Gripe SpanishHHS Health & Human Services
Hospital Planning Kane County Health Dept. Flu Posters & Info Sheets Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium Flu Resources for Public Health CommunicatorsHealthcare Providers Information Home Page
