Yes, a 59-year-old can absolutely receive the Flulaval vaccine.
Flulaval is FDA-approved and recommended for all individuals aged 6 months and older, which includes 59-year-olds 1, 2. This person falls well within the approved age range and should receive a standard 0.5 mL intramuscular dose administered in the deltoid muscle 1.
Key Administration Details
- Dose: 0.5 mL intramuscular injection
- Site: Deltoid muscle (preferred for adults)
- Frequency: One dose per influenza season 1
- Formulation: Standard-dose trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV3) containing 15 μg of hemagglutinin per virus strain 1
Important Context
At age 59, this individual should receive the standard-dose Flulaval, not the high-dose or adjuvanted formulations. The high-dose (HD-IIV3) and adjuvanted (aIIV3) influenza vaccines are reserved exclusively for adults aged ≥65 years 1, 3. The recombinant vaccine (RIV3/Flublok) was historically approved only for those ≥18 years, though recent 2025 guidance indicates approval down to age 9 4.
Safety Profile
Flulaval is well-tolerated in this age group. Common side effects include:
- Local reactions: Pain at injection site (17-67%), redness (13-37%), swelling (10-25%)
- Systemic reactions: Fatigue, headache, muscle aches (10-39%), gastrointestinal symptoms (10-20%)
- Fever is uncommon in adults 3
Special Considerations
Pregnancy: If this 59-year-old is a woman who is pregnant, Flulaval can still be administered. Pregnant women should receive thimerosal-free single-dose formulations, and vaccination is particularly important as pregnant women face increased risk of severe influenza complications 5, 2.
No contraindications exist based solely on age 59 - the standard contraindications apply (severe allergic reaction to vaccine components, history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome within 6 weeks of prior influenza vaccination) 1.
The 2024-25 ACIP guidelines make no preferential recommendation among different standard-dose influenza vaccines for adults under 65 years 1. Flulaval is an appropriate and recommended choice for routine seasonal influenza vaccination in this age group.