
a prior allergic reaction to the flu vaccine.This is called herd immunity and will help protect those who can’t receive the vaccine.Īdditionally, if you’re currently sick with an acute illness, you may need to wait until you’re better to receive the vaccine.īefore you’re vaccinated, you should let your doctor know if you’ve had: To protect these children from potential exposure to the virus, all family members or caregivers should be vaccinated. anyone living or working in a nursing home or chronic care facilityĬhildren under 6 months of age shouldn’t receive the influenza vaccine.people whose body mass index is 40 or higher.


This can decrease the effectiveness of the seasonal flu vaccine.Īge can also play a role in vaccine efficacy because your immune system tends to become weaker as you age. This means what’s in the vaccine may not always match what’s actually circulating during flu season. Researchers need to select the specific influenza viruses to include in the vaccine many months before flu season begins. Circulating influenza viruses can mutate from one season to the next. Influenza viruses are constantly changing and evolving rapidly.
