Who should and should not get the flu vaccine

People who can get the nasal spray flu vaccine: The nasal spray vaccine is approved for people ages 2 to 49. Many people in this age group can receive the nasal spray vaccine. The nasal spray vaccine is not recommended for certain groups of people, such as pregnant women and people with certain medical conditions.

People who should not receive the nasal spray vaccine:

• Children under 2 years old.
• Adults over 50 years old.
• People who have had a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction to any ingredient in the nasal spray vaccine (except egg protein).
• People who have had a severe allergic reaction to any flu vaccine.
• Children and adolescents aged 2 to 17 years who are taking medicines containing aspirin or salicylates.
• People who have a weakened immune system (immunosuppression) due to any reason, such as (but not limited to) drug-induced immunosuppression, congenital or acquired immune disorders, HIV infection, or asplenia.
• Caregivers or close contacts of people with severely compromised immune systems who require a protected environment (or avoid contact with these people for 7 days after receiving the nasal spray vaccine).
• Pregnant people.
• Children 2 to 4 years old who have asthma or a history of wheezing in the past 12 months
• People who have a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak (fluid leaks and leaks from the space between the brain and the nose, throat, ears, or other parts of the head).
• People with cochlear implants.
• People who have recently taken anti-flu viral medications. This depends on the specific flu antiviral medicine they are taking and when they took their last dose.

People who should consult their health care provider before receiving the nasal spray vaccine:

If you have one of the following conditions, talk to your healthcare provider. Your provider will help you decide if vaccination is right for you and determine which vaccine is best for your situation:

• People 5 years or older with asthma.
• People with other underlying medical conditions may be at increased risk of serious complications from the flu. This includes conditions such as chronic lung disease, heart disease (except simple hypertension), kidney disease, liver disease, nerve/neuromuscular disease, blood or metabolic disease (including diabetes).
• People with severe or moderate acute illness, with or without fever.
• People who have Guillain-Barré syndrome after having previously had a flu shot.