The U.S. flu season has resulted in 216 pediatric deaths, the highest since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. This figure is likely an undercount and may rise as the season concludes. The alarming increase in deaths correlates with a drop in flu vaccination rates among children, which have fallen from 64% five years ago to 49%. While flu shots cannot fully prevent illness, they significantly reduce hospitalizations and fatalities. The CDC reports this flu season as exceptionally severe, with millions of illnesses and tens of thousands of deaths overall.
"This number that we have now is almost certainly an undercount, and one that - when the season is declared over, and they compile all the data - it's almost certain to go up," said Dr. Sean O'Leary, of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The flu vaccination rate for U.S. children has plummeted from about 64% five years ago to 49% this season.
Flu vaccinations may not prevent people from coming down with symptoms, but research shows they are highly effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths, O'Leary said.
CDC officials have described it as "highly severe," and estimate that so far there have been at least 47 million illnesses, 610,000 hospitalizations and 26,000 deaths this season.
Collection
[
|
...
]