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On August 7, 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2015–2016 Influenza Season.1 The report is an update to the Advisory Committee’s 2014–2015 recommendations.
Areas of change from 2014–2015 include:
- Antigenic composition of US seasonal influenza vaccines
- Information on influenza vaccine products expected to be available during the upcoming season
- An updated algorithm for determining the appropriate number of doses for children aged 6 months through 8 years
- Recommendations for the use of live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) and inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV)
The committee advised that vaccines should optimally be administered before October and should continue to be offered as long as the viruses are circulating.
Although antibody titers decline in seniors (≥65 years old), signifying a decline in vaccine effectiveness, vaccination should nevertheless be offered to seniors as early in the season as possible to avoid missed opportunities for vaccination, or waiting until the virus has already begun to circulate.
