What are the seasonal flu vaccine recommendations for children?
The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care recommends that children between the ages of 6 months and 9 years of age, who have never received seasonal flu vaccine, obtain two doses of seasonal influenza vaccine given at least 4 weeks apart. Two doses are required because children may have limited exposure to the seasonal flu and therefore need two doses to develop protection. Children who have received seasonal flu vaccine in previous years need only one dose for protection. The H1N1 vaccine given in 2009-2010 does not count as a previous dose of influenza vaccine. A child who has only received H1N1 vaccine still requires two doses of this year’s flu vaccine. It has been estimated that 10-40% of healthy children get the seasonal flu per year. As well, children are at higher risk for developing otitis media (middle ear infections) as a result of influenza illness. Children are a major contributor to the spread of the virus in both school and household settings. Even healthy young
