High-risk kids:

• Children with chronic heart or lung disorders like asthma.

• Children with chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, severe anemia, or immune deficiency. The immune deficiency can be caused either by HIV/AIDS or it can be immune suppression caused by drugs.

• Children who are born prematurely are at an increased risk of developing lung problems in case if they get infected by influenza.

• Children who are undergoing long-term aspirin therapy are at a risk for Reye syndrome in case if they get infected by flu. Reye syndrome is a serious illness that affects the brain and liver. It usually occurs in children recovering from a viral infection.

• Care givers or people who come in contact with such children.

• Adults with chronic heart or lung disorders like asthma.

• Adults with chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, severe anemia, or immune deficiency. The immune deficiency can be caused either by HIV/AIDS or it can be immune suppression caused by drugs.

• Pregnant women are also considered to be in the high risk zone. This is because, during pregnancy, if a woman gets infected it will put both for the mother and the baby at higher risk of flu complications. Moreover, if the mother gets sick with flu she might pass the infection to her new born baby.

• People involved in social activities like police, firefighters, and other public safety workers.

• People working at nursing homes and other facilities that supports people with chronic medical conditions.

• People planning to travel to the tropics at any time or to the Southern Hemisphere from April through September. These people may not take the vaccine in case if they had received it the previous year.

• People over the age of 50 years.

• People who work as out-of-home caregivers.

• People who come in contact with high risk adults.

Next page: Who should not receive the flu vaccine

Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: April 30, 2012