Highlights for 2023-2024
Look out for updates for the 2023-2024 flu season, including:
- Consistent with prior guidance, everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine, ideally by the end of October. The best way to prevent flu and its potentially serious complications is by getting a yearly flu vaccine.
- The 2023-2024 season U.S. flu vaccines will contain an updated influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 component:
- A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus for egg-based vaccines and
- A/Wisconsin/67/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus for cell-based or recombinant vaccines.
- The ACIP voted that people with egg-allergy may receive any flu vaccine (egg-based or non-egg based) that is otherwise appropriate for their age and health status. Additional safety measures are no longer recommended for flu vaccination beyond those recommended for receipt of any vaccine.
- While ACIP has previously recommended that all people 6 months and older with egg allergy should be vaccinated against flu, in the past there have been additional safety measures recommended for administration of egg-based flu vaccine to people who have had severe allergic reactions to egg.
- September and October are the best times for most people to get vaccinated. Flu vaccination in July and August is not recommended for most people, but there are several considerations regarding vaccination in July and August for some groups of people:
- Pregnant people who are in their third trimester can get a flu vaccine in July or August.
- Children who need two doses of flu vaccine should get their first dose of vaccine as soon as vaccine becomes available.
- Vaccination in July or August can be considered for children who have health care visits during these months, if there might not be another opportunity to vaccinate. For example, some children might have medical visits in the late summer before school starts, and might not return to see a health care provider in September or October.
- For adults (especially those 65 years old and older) and pregnant people in their first and second trimester, vaccination in July and August should be avoided unless it won’t be possible to vaccinate in September or October.
