NEW YORK, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Infants will begin receiving annual flu shots along with other routine childhood vaccines next year, it was reported Thursday.
Some 6 million healthy babies, age 6 to 23 months, will be in line for the medication because of recommendations approved by a panel of experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA Today said.
The advisory committee voted unanimously to change its position from encouraging flu vaccination to a full-fledged recommendation, a guideline for parents, doctors and insurance companies. Some pediatricians already vaccinate their patients each year.
The recommendations, which also call for flu shots for babies' families and caretakers, don't take effect until next fall to give doctors, insurers and manufacturers time to prepare, said Richard Zimmerman of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and a committee member. Flu shots had already been recommended for children with chronic health problems such as asthma.
