In light of the continuing health concerns associated with swine flu in the upcoming winter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met last week to make recommendations on who should receive the new swine flu vaccine when it becomes available.

The CDC is concerned that the new H1N1, or swine flu, virus could result in a particularly severe flu season. ACIP announced that the five target groups who should receive the swine flu vaccine are pregnant women, household contacts of children under the age of 6 months, healthcare workers and emergency medical services personnel, children and young people between the ages of 6 months and 42 years, and non-elderly adults with underlying medical conditions that increase their risk for influenza complications. The CDC estimates that these priority groups include a total of 159 million individuals, but if a swine flu vaccine shortage occurs, ACIP has also proposed a short list of target groups.

As a reminder, the novel H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace seasonal flu vaccine. The swine flu vaccine is intended to be used alongside the seasonal flu vaccine. Current evidence suggests that both vaccines can be given together, but more data is forthcoming.  

Source:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, accessed August 1, 2009.