Fewer youngsters within the U.S. have gotten a flu vaccine in 2024 in comparison with final 12 months, in line with new knowledge from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC).
As of Nov. 30, about 36 % of the nation’s youngsters aged six months to 17 obtained a flu vaccination, a drop from final 12 months’s 43 %.
These numbers may change since roughly 10 % of youngsters had a guardian report they intend to get their little one vaccinated and about 14 % had a guardian say they are going to in all probability get their little one vaccinated towards the flu, in line with the CDC.
The 2023-24 flu season was significantly lethal and the CDC reported 205 youngsters died from the illness, essentially the most for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic.
CDC officers consider that the entire childhood dying toll from the flu final 12 months is probably going greater since a lot of these deaths are under-reported.
“Not all children whose death was related to an influenza virus infection may have been tested for influenza,” a CDC memo from Nov. 22 reads.
The memo provides that officers estimate that an extra 521 youngsters died final 12 months from the flu bumping the entire as much as 724.
Flu vaccinations can change and are designed to guard towards influenza viruses that analysis exhibits might be commonest throughout the upcoming fall and winter months when the virus is extra simply unfold.
This flu season vaccines might be “trivalent” which means they are going to provide safety towards three influenza virus, in line with the CDC.
These viruses are the A(H1N1) virus, an influenza A(H3N2) virus and an influenza B/Victoria virus.
The extent of safety a flu vaccine offers varies yearly. Between 2009 and 2024, flu vaccinations have been 19 to 60 % efficient in defending towards variants of the virus, CDC knowledge present.
