National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a national awareness week dedicated to emphasizing the significance of influenza vaccination. Taking place from December 2-6, 2024, National Influenza Vaccination Week 2024 serves as a timely reminder for individuals aged 6 months and older that there is still an opportunity to receive a flu vaccine this season.

Given that flu viruses are constantly evolving and the effectiveness of vaccination diminishes over time, receiving a flu vaccine annually is the most effective method to mitigate the risk of contracting the flu. The flu vaccine is the sole vaccine that provides protection against the flu and has been proven to lower the likelihood of flu-related illness, hospitalization, and complications.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicates that flu vaccination coverage was significantly lower last season, especially among specific high-risk demographics such as children. In recognition of NIVW, this Guidelines Timeline focuses on the CDC’s influenza updates over the past 5 years. This article will compare the yearly recommendations from the CDC, highlighting key differences. While we will not cover every detail, we recommend reviewing the most recent CDC recommendations provided below for a more comprehensive understanding.

2024-2025 CDC Immunization Schedules

Major Changes and Key Takeaways (2020 – 2025) 

2024-2025:

  • Vaccine Formulations: 
    • The CDC has consistently updated vaccine strains for each flu season based on the circulating strains identified through global surveillance efforts. All flu vaccines in the United States will be trivalent (three component) vaccines beginning with the 2024-2025 season.
  • Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: 
    • Throughout this challenging period, the CDC has maintained its recommendation for annual flu vaccinations, placing particular emphasis on the co-administration of flu and COVID-19 vaccines, especially during the fall and winter months.
  • Preference for Specific Vaccines: 
    • The CDC has issued guidance on the preferred vaccines for certain populations, such as recommending high-dose flu vaccines or adjuvanted vaccines for individuals aged 65 and older.
  • Projected Vaccine Supply: 
    • Vaccine manufacturers have projected that they will supply the United States with up to 148 million doses of flu vaccine for the 2024-2025 season. It is important to note that these projections may be subject to change as the season progresses.
  • Thimerosal-Free Vaccines: 
    • For the 2024-2025 season, manufacturers will produce influenza vaccine doses that do not contain thimerosal, with some vaccines still containing this preservative. Thimerosal will only be present in multi-dose vial formulations of influenza vaccines.
  • Majority of Thimerosal-Free Supply: 
    • The majority of the projected flu vaccine supply for the upcoming season will be thimerosal-free or thimerosal-reduced, ensuring a preservative-free option for individuals seeking vaccination.
  • Who should not receive the Flu Vaccine:
    • Individuals who should not receive the flu vaccine include children under 6 months of age, as they are too young to be vaccinated. 
    • Additionally, individuals with severe, life-threatening allergies to any ingredient in the flu vaccine, excluding egg proteins, should avoid getting vaccinated. These ingredients may include gelatin, antibiotics, or other components.
    • Furthermore, individuals who have experienced a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the influenza vaccine should not receive the flu vaccine again and may not be suitable candidates for other influenza vaccines.

2023-2024:

  • Updates have been made to the formulations of influenza vaccines to account for new variants of influenza A and B viruses, resulting in improved efficacy. Ongoing research is being conducted on universal flu vaccines and innovative methods, such as mRNA vaccines, which have garnered attention but are still in the developmental stages.
  • For the 2023–2024 U.S. influenza season, the composition of vaccines has been revised to include an updated influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 component. All seasonal influenza vaccines available for this season are quadrivalent. The egg-based vaccines will contain hemagglutinin (HA).
  • References to egg-based allergies have been removed from the “Special situations” section, as any influenza vaccine suitable for the recipient’s age and health status, whether egg-based or not, can be utilized. A note has been added at the end of the “Special situations” section to clarify that individuals with an egg allergy can safely receive any vaccine product appropriate for their age and health status.

2022-2023:

  • Continued emphasis on the need for flu vaccination in high-risk groups, like pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with chronic conditions.
  • Recommendations on flu vaccination timing were refined due to fluctuating seasonal flu patterns and COVID-19 variants.
  • For influenza vaccination, clarifying language has been added to indicate that vaccination is for adults age 19 years or older.
  • A previous severe allergic reaction to influenza vaccine is no longer a contraindication to future receipt of any influenza vaccine. Rather, individuals with a history of severe allergic reaction to an influenza vaccine may have a precaution to receive a different type of influenza vaccine. Details about contraindications and precautions to influenza vaccination can now be found in the newly added appendix section of the adult immunization schedule.

2021-2022:

  • Increased recommendations for the flu vaccine to be administered alongside the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Special consideration for those with a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome or egg allergies in terms of vaccine choice.
  • No preferential recommendation is made for one influenza vaccine product over another in persons for whom more than one licensed and recommended product based on patient age and health status is available.

2020-2021

  • Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV4) is an option for adults through age 49 years, except for those who have immunocompromising conditions, including HIV infection; have anatomical or functional asplenia; are pregnant; have close contact with or are caregivers of severely immunocompromised persons who require a protected environment; have cranial CSF/oropharyngeal communications or cochlear implants; or have received influenza antiviral medications recently.
  • In persons with a history of an egg allergy more severe than hives, if using an influenza vaccine other than RIV4 (Flublok Quadrivalent) or ccIIV4 (Flucelvax Quadrivalent), administer the vaccine in a medical setting under the supervision of a health care provider who can recognize and manage severe allergic reactions.

Receiving an annual seasonal flu vaccine is the most effective method for minimizing the likelihood of contracting the flu and its associated serious complications. Vaccination offers numerous advantages, such as decreasing the incidence of flu-related illnesses, hospitalizations, and fatalities. Although it is possible for individuals who have received the flu vaccine to still become ill with influenza, various studies have demonstrated that vaccination can lessen the severity of the illness.

We are grateful for your ongoing interest, and we encourage you to stay informed about upcoming segments in our series. We value your feedback and would like to hear your suggestions for future topics to be covered in our guideline series. Please feel free to contact us with any ideas or questions you may have.

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