American Academy of Pediatrics Issues Annual Influenza Season Recommendations

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued its immunization and treatment recommendations for the 2020-2021 influenza season.¹

Although COVID-19 may be the disease at the forefront of most people’s mind, the annual influenza season is due to start in the near future. How it will look when running concurrently with a pandemic is unknown at this point, but the disease could further tax the health care system with the hospitalizations and deaths caused by the illness annually.

The AAP continues its recommendation of routine influenza immunizations for every child who has no medical contraindications, starting at age 6 months. A child should be given any licensed, recommended, age-appropriate vaccine that is available without regard to product or formulation. For children who either have a suspected or confirmed case of influenza and is hospitalized, has severe disease, or an underlying condition that could increase the risk of complications, antiviral treatment should be administered. For children who are not at high risk of complications from influenza, antiviral medication may be used if it can be started within 48 hours of the disease’s onset or if the child has someone in the household who is either aged younger than 6 months or who has a condition that predisposes them to complications from influenza.

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