Heralding the GOOD NEWS. “Hark the Angels sing” in from the UK government. In the last days of 2010 ministers and senior government advisers ruled against the flu vaccine for children under five. Their decision was made despite the current flu epidemic in the UK. Read more…
USA: As in previous recommendations, all children aged 6 months–8 years who receive a seasonal influenza vaccine for the first time should receive 2 doses. Children who received only 1 dose of a seasonal influenza vaccine in the first influenza season that they received vaccine should receive 2 doses, rather than 1, in the following influenza season. In addition, for the 2010–11 influenza season, children aged 6 months–8 years who did not receive at least 1 dose of an influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine should receive 2 doses of a 2010–11 seasonal influenza vaccine, regardless of previous influenza vaccination history. Children aged 6 months–8 years for whom the previous 2009–10 seasonal or influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine history cannot be determined should receive 2 doses of a 2010–11 seasonal influenza vaccine.
On the 20th of January 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said there have been 36 confirmed reports of seizures this flu season in children ages 6 months through 2 years in the United States. The seizures occurred within one day after they were vaccinated with Fluzone, the only flu shot recommended in America for infants and very young children. Ten of the children were hospitalized. The vaccine’s manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, issued a statement emphasizing that no clear link has been established between the flu shot and the seizures and that the cases may be coincidental.




