CDC Recommendations for Use of Vaccine Against Novel H1N1
July 29, 2009

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has developed recommendations on who should receive vaccine against novel influenza A (H1N1) when it becomes available.

The committee recommended the vaccination efforts focus on five key populations in order to help reduce the impact and spread of novel H1N1. When vaccine is first available, the committee recommended that programs and providers try to vaccinate:
• Pregnant women,
• People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age,
• Health care and emergency services personnel,
• Persons between the ages of 6 months through 24 years of age, and
• People from ages 25 through 64 years who are at higher risk for novel H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

If the vaccine will be in limited supply, the committee recommended that the following groups receive the vaccine before others:
• Pregnant women,
• People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age,
• Health care and emergency services personnel with direct patient contact,
• Children 6 months through 4 years of age, and
• Children 5 through 18 years of age who have chronic medical conditions.

The committee further recommended that once the demand for vaccine for these prioritized groups has been met at the local level, programs and providers should begin vaccinating everyone from ages 25 through 64 years. Current studies indicate the risk for infection among persons age 65 or older is less than the risk for younger age groups. Therefore, as vaccine supply and demand for vaccine among younger age groups is being met, programs and providers should offer vaccination to people over the age of 65.

The committee also stressed that people over the age of 65 receive the seasonal vaccine as soon as it is available. Even if novel H1N1 vaccine is initially only available in limited quantities, supply and availability will continue, so the committee stressed that programs and providers continue to vaccinate unimmunized patients and not keep vaccine in reserve for later administration of the second dose.
The novel H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine. It is intended to be used alongside seasonal flu vaccine to protect people. Seasonal flu and novel H1N1 vaccines may be administered on the same day.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Current Information on H1N1