Who should be vaccinated against influenza?
- Children and adolescents from 6 months, and especially children at 6 months to 5 years of age.
- Persons aged above 50 years, due to the considerable percentage of persons with risk factors, particularly susceptible to influenza complications.
- Women who will be in the second or third trimesters of pregnancy during the influenza season, due to an increased risk of hospitalisation for cardiovascular and respiratory disorders following an infection with the influenza virus.
- Children and adolescents (from 6 months to 18 years) chronically receiving aspirin – at the risk of Reye’s syndrome following an infection with the influenza virus.
- Persons who may transmit influenza to persons at high risk of severe influenza complications (e.g. healthcare personnel and family members who have frequent contacts with high-risk persons).
- Persons with chronic diseases of the cardiovascular tract, respiratory tract, urinary tract and with diabetes.
Effectiveness of the influenza vaccine in the elderly
Modified after Gross PA, Hermogenes AW, Sacks HS, Lau J, Levandowski RA, The efficacy of influenza vaccine in elderly persons. A meta-analysis and review of the literature. Ann. Intern. Med 123 (7): 518-527, 1995.
