Safety of Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) for Health Care Workers and First Responders
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) provides recommendations for the use of influenza vaccine in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the ACIP recommend use of LAIV for healthy, non-pregnant persons aged 2 – 49 years.
LAIV is recommended for nearly all health care workers and first responders. There is a very narrow group of inpatient caregivers who work in negative pressure rooms caring for patients who have received bone marrow transplants for whom LAIV is not recommended. With the exception of these caregivers, LAIV is an excellent formulation for healthy adults who are under 50 years who are health care workers.
During the past 5 years, tens of millions of doses of LAIV have been administered for seasonal influenza prevention, and there has not been transmission of influenza to patients in health care settings or in communities.
The Southern Nevada Health District recommends that health care workers and first responders who have direct patient contact be vaccinated against influenza.
Resources
Additional public health information for the health care industry is available on the Health Care Professionals webpages.
