Vaccination of Persons with Acute Illnesses

Every opportunity should be taken to provide appropriate vaccinations. The decision to delay vaccination because of a current or recent acute illness depends on the severity of the symptoms and their cause. Although a moderate or severe acute illness is sufficient reason to postpone vaccination, minor illnesses (such as diarrhoea, mild upper respiratory infection with or without low-grade fever, or other low-grade febrile illness) are not contraindications to vaccination. Antimicrobial therapy is not a contraindication to vaccination, except with oral typhoid vaccine (Ty21a). People with moderate or severe acute illness with or without fever should be vaccinated as soon as the condition has improved. This precaution is to avoid superimposing adverse effects from the vaccine on underlying illness or mistakenly attributing a manifestation of underlying illness to the vaccine.

Routine physical examinations or temperature measurements are not prerequisites for vaccinating anyone who appears to be in good health. Asking if a person is ill, postponing a vaccination for someone with moderate or severe acute illness, and vaccinating someone without contraindications are appropriate procedures in immunisation programs.

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