ATLANTA -- A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel has recommended expanding the ages for annual influenza vaccination for children to include all who are 6 months to 18 years of age.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) made the recommendation in a unanimous vote, adding approximately 30 million children in the 5- to 18-year age group. However, the panel was mixed about when the move should take effect.

Some ACIP members said the decision should become official in the 2009-2010 influenza season, giving practitioners time to prepare for implementation. Others sought immediate implementation. The compromise language, which is ...