United States: The recent news from the CDC is that over a hundred children have died of flu complications this season. However, the precise number of deaths is still 103 people.
Experts and the latest CDC report highlight the heightened risk for children with underlying medical conditions, potentially leading to severe flu outcomes.
This data serves as a stark reminder of the Flu’s devastating impact on children, emphasizing the importance of immediate precautions.
Alicia Budd, head of the CDC’s domestic influenza surveillance team, commented, “This is certainly sobering information, but it’s not something necessarily unexpected,” as reported by NBC News.
Deaths due to Flu this season
Additionally, Budd noted that over half of the children who died (53 percent) had no underlying medical conditions before contracting the Flu.
While flu cases are leveling off across the U.S., the season is far from over.
The CDC estimates that there are over 28 million flu illnesses nationwide, resulting in at least 310,000 hospitalizations. Apart from the 103 child deaths, nearly 20,000 others have also fallen victim to the Flu.
Dr. Kristina Bryant, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Norton Healthcare in Louisville, Kentucky, highlighted a common misconception among families, stating, “There is a popular misconception among families that flu is just another cold virus and that it’s no big deal,” as reported by NBC News.
Bryant shared her experiences, stating, “I have taken care of kids who are critically ill in the intensive care unit with Flu. I’ve taken care of kids who have ultimately died from the Flu. And almost universally, their parents tell me, ‘I had no idea that flu could do this to my child.'”
Why are children more vulnerable?
Experts note that while many children recover from the Flu each year, the virus can unexpectedly prove fatal to healthy-looking and resilient children. Children generally have smaller air passages, leading to breathing difficulties when the virus infects and inflames these passages, explained Dr. Alexandra Yonts, a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases at the Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Vaccination’s role in protecting against infection
Regarding flu vaccination for children, the CDC’s Budd emphasized that about 90 percent of the children who died this season were not fully vaccinated. Most children only need one Flu shot per year, while children under age eight who have never been vaccinated before should receive two doses.
More than half of children were vaccinated this flu season, slightly lower than the 53.3 percent immunization rate from last year, as reported by NBC News.
According to CDC data, the vaccine can provide up to 61 percent protection against the Flu in children, reducing the risk of hospitalization.