Comparison of 2 Doses vs 1 Dose in the First Season Children Are Vaccinated Against Influenza

Does research evidence support a 2-dose schedule in the first year of vaccination for influenza vaccine–naive children younger than 9 years?This meta-analysis including 51 studies with 415 050 participants estimated a statistically significant increase in vaccine effectiveness (28 percentage points) of a second inactivated influenza vaccine dose in the first year of vaccination for children younger than 3 years. However, there was no significant increase when the age range was broadened to children younger than 9 years.Our findings suggest the second dose of inactivated influenza vaccine confers additional protection for influenza vaccine–naive children younger than 3 years but that the benefit attenuates with age.

Corresponding Author: Jessie J. Goldsmith, MSc, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 Australia (jggol@unimelb.edu.au).

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