Thursday, May 27, 2010

Latest Recommendations on influenza vaccination

Many parents have been asking me about whether they need to give their kids the influenza vaccine.  Well, according to the latest edition of The Singapore Family Physician, we are following the 2009/2010 recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics which recommends annual influenza immunization for:

1.  All children from 6 mths to 18 years
2.  Household contacts and care providers of children placed at high risk and healthy children less than 5 years. ie nursery teachers, nurses etc
3.  Health care professionals, ie people like me
4.  Pregnant women in mid trimester of pregnancy onwards

The schedule for kids is

6mth to 36mth, two 0.25ml doses, 4 weeks apart
36mth to 9 years, two 0.5ml doses, 4 weeks apart
>9 years one 0.5ml dose

Children who have had the influenza vaccine in previous years require only one dose.

The current trivalent influenza vaccine is currently available in our clinic and priced at $30 nett

More information found here