The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends an annual flu vaccine for people over the age of 6 months. Flu vaccine is particularly important for people at high risk of serious flu complications:
- People at high risk for complications from the flu.
- People 65 years or older, regardless of health status.
- People living in a nursing home or long-term care facility.
- People 6 months or older with chronic heart or lung conditions, like asthma.
- People 6 months or older who has a recent history of metabolic diseases, chronic kidney disease or a weakened immune system.
- People 6 months to 18 years who is on long-term aspirin therapy. (People in this age group that take aspirin and get sick with the flu are at a risk of developing Reye syndrome.) Visit our Reye syndrome webpage to learn more.
- Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season and women up to two weeks after delivery..
- All children under 2 years old.
- People 50 to 64 years old.
- Nearly one-third of people 50 to 64 years old in the United States have medical conditions that increase their risk of potentially serious flu complications.
- People who will be in close contact with someone at high risk for complications from the flu (see above).
- This includes all health care workers, caregivers of children 6 to 23 months old, and close contacts of people 65 years or older.