This year’s policy contains a simplified dosing algorithm for administering the influenza vaccine to children depending on the child’s vaccine history and age at the time of the first administered dose:
- Infants younger than 6 months are too young to be immunized.
- Children 9 years of age and older need only 1 dose of influenza vaccine.
- Children 6 months through 8 years of age need only 1 dose of the 2011-2012 influenza vaccine if they received at least 1 dose last season.
- Children 6 months through 8 years of age should receive 2 doses if they did not receive any vaccine last season. The second dose should be administered at least 4 weeks after the first.