Flu Season 2004-2005 Updates:

• American Lung Association Flu Vaccine Shortage Guidelines (February 2005)
• The American Lung Association Reminds You That It Is Not Too Late To Get Vaccinated for the Flu – Especially If You Have A Lung Disease New guidelines expand high risk groups to people 50 and over and all caregivers (December 27, 2004)
• American Lung Association Statement on the recent news of vaccine shortage in the U.S. (October 5, 2004)

  People at Risk

  Excerpted from Who Should Get a Flu Shot, from the Cold and Flu Guidelines

  This year the revised recommended groups for receiving the influenza vaccine include:

• Adults 50 years or older.

• All children aged 6-23 months.

• People of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as heart or lung disease, transplant recipients, or persons with AIDS)

• All women who will be pregnant during the influenza season.

• Residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities.

• Children aged 2-18 years on chronic aspirin therapy.

• Health-care workers involved in direct patient care.

• Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of persons in above listed high-risk groups.

  Call your clinic before you attend for specific details, including identifying if you qualify as high risk.

  You should NOT get the flu shot if…

• you are allergic to eggs or any component of the vaccine. The viral material in flu vaccines is grown in eggs.
• you have a history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
• you have an acute illness and a fever. You should not get a flu shot until you are feeling better.