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WHO SHOULD BE VACCINATED?
The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that anyone who wishes to reduce his or her risk of acquiring influenza should be immunized, including those living in residence halls or other crowded conditions. However, there are certain groups of people for whom vaccination is especially recommended because they are at high risk for flu complications, could give flu to others at “high-risk”, or have critical jobs.
It is strongly recommended that you receive the flu vaccine if you fall into one or more of the following categories:
1. People aged 50 years or older, with or without chronic health conditions
2. People with a long-term health problems such as: heart disease; kidney disease; lung diseases like asthma; metabolic diseases like diabetes; blood disorders like anemia; a weakened immune system caused, for example, by cancer or cancer treatment, HIV/AIDS, or steroid therapy; or certain conditions such as nervous system or muscular disorders or seizure disorders that can cause breathing problems or increase the risk of inhaling oral secretions. High blood pressure is not considered a high-risk condition.
3. Women who are planning to become pregnant during the flu season (NOTE: Under a 2006 state law, currently pregnant women may receive only thimerosal-free vaccine which Student Health Services may not carry)
4. Residents of nursing homes or long-term-care facilities
5. Those living with or caring for one or more children less than 60 months of age or who live with any of the groups listed above
6. Healthcare workers involved in direct, hands-on, face-to-face patient care such as physicians, nurses, and others who work in hospitals, long term care facilities, and outpatient settings and medical emergency response workers
7. Children and adolescents up to age 18 who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who might be at risk for developing Reye syndrome if they contract the flu
Parents should strongly consider vaccination of their children aged 6-59 months. Any child under age 9 who has not previously been vaccinated should receive 2 doses of vaccine. (Children, parents, spouses, partners, and friends of SDSU-affiliated students, faculty and staff are NOT eligible to receive flu vaccinations at Student Health Services.) |
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