Prevention and Control of Influenza - Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)

'This report updates the 2002 recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on the use of influenza vaccine and antiviral agents (CDC. Prevention and Control of Influenza: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices [ACIP]. MMWR 2002;51[No. RR-3]:1--31). The 2003 recommendations include new or updated information regarding 1) the timing of influenza vaccination by age and risk group; 2) influenza vaccine for children aged 6--23 months; 3) the 2003--2004 trivalent inactivated vaccine virus strains: 4) availability of certain influenza vaccine doses with reduced thimerosal content, including single 0.25 mL-dose syringes; and 5) manufacturers of influenza vaccine for the U.S. market. Although the optimal time to vaccinate against influenza is October and November, vaccination in December and later continues to be strongly recommended. A link to this report and other information regarding influenza can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/flu/fluvirus.htm. ' A small erratum has been added on page 12 table 3 and can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5222a5.htm