On Oct. 15, 2003, the Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP) voted to recommend that children 6 to 23 months of age be vaccinated annually against influenza, with implementation scheduled for the fall of 2004.

The ACIP had previously encouraged physicians to vaccinate 6 to 23 month old children when feasible; that is, when they had resources and capacity to educate parents about influenza, to administer the needed doses, and to monitor vaccine adverse events.