Influenza Vaccine

AAP Updates Recommendations for 2017-2018 Flu Season

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has updated its recommendations for the prevention and treatment of influenza in children during the 2017-2018 influenza season.

For this season, the AAP recommends that all children aged 6 months or older receive an annual seasonal influenza vaccine. The current vaccine contains similar strains for influenza A (H3N2) and influenza B as the 2016-2017 vaccine but has different strains for influenza A (H1N1).
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“Providers may continue to offer vaccines until June 30 of each year, the date marking the end of the influenza season,” the authors wrote.

Among the AAP recommendations are:

  • A trivalent or qQuadrivalent inactivated vaccine for influenza immunizations should be administered.
  • Quadrivalent live attenuated influenza vaccines are not recommended during the 2017-2018 influenza season due to their low effectiveness in prior seasons.
  • Influenza vaccines are safe for children with an egg allergy, regardless of severity.
  • Influenza diagnoses in children should be made promptly so that antiviral treatment can be initiated quickly to reduce morbidity and mortality risk.

Additionally, the updated recommendations included guidance on the use of antiviral medications for treating children with influenza.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Committee on Infectious Diseases. Recommendations for prevention and control of influenza in children, 2017-2018 [published online September 4, 2017]. Pediatrics. doi:10.1542/peds.2017-2550.