2011 recommended vaccine schedule released

The 2011 recommended vaccine schedule has been released. The new recommended schedule was approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Academy of Family Physicians, and published in the journal Pediatrics.

2011 US Recommended Vaccine Schedule 0-6 Years

There were a few changes from the 2010 recommended schedule, including:

• Guidance for administration of the hepatitis B vaccine series for children who did not receive the recommended birth dose
• Information on the use of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) replacing the use of the 7-valent vaccine. A single supplemental dose of PCV13 is recommended for all children 14 through 59 months of age who have received an age-appropriate series of PCV7. A single supplemental dose of PCV13 is recommended for all children 60 through 71 months of age with underlying medical conditions who have received an age-appropriate series of PCV7.
• Guidance for administration of 1 or 2 doses of influenza vaccine on the basis of the child’s history of receipt of monovalent 2009 H1N1 vaccine
• Guidance regarding a booster dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4)
• Guidance on catch up for children 7-10 years who are not fully immunized against pertussis (whooping cough)
• Guidance for use of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine in people 5 years of age and older at increased risk
• Guidance for the use of human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)