The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its annual flu season guidelines. The updates include a non-endorsement of AstraZeneca's nasal flu vaccine. The AAP asserts FluMist should not be used in any setting during the upcoming season.
Pediatricians recommend the annual seasonal influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months and older, including children and adolescents. However, they have withdrawn their recommendation for FluMist, citing "evidence for poor effectiveness."
In June, the CDC recommended against using FluMist due to a lack of evidence regarding the vaccine's efficacy. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices based its recommendation on data that suggested the live nasal vaccine was highly effective until 2013, when the vaccine changed from covering three strains to four.
Pediatricians said special effort should be made to vaccinate:
- Children age 6 months and older with conditions that increase the risk of complications from influenza
- All household contacts and out-of-home care providers of children with high-risk conditions and those younger than 5 years old, especially infants younger than 6 months
- American Indian/Alaska Native children
- All healthcare personnel
- All child care providers and staff
- All women who are pregnant, are considering pregnancy, are in the postpartum period, or are breastfeeding during flu season
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