Vaccinating children against the influenza virus could save their lives, according a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Figures from the current flu season show there have been 72 pediatric deaths related to the influenza virus. New influenza vaccines are brought out each flu season to combat changing strains of the virus.
The latest report published by the American Academy of Pediatrics examined data from 358 flu-related pediatric deaths over four flu seasons. It studied the flu vaccine's effectiveness in healthy children and children with underlying medical conditions putting them in the "high-risk" category. Analysis revealed vaccinated youngsters with underlying high-risk conditions were half as likely to die from influenza as those without. The vaccine's effectiveness rose to two-thirds among healthy children. Only one in four of the flu-related deaths examined as part of the study were in vaccinated children.
The report concluded the protection offered by the flu vaccine is "significant", despite lower levels of effectiveness in children with underlying conditions. "Every year CDC receives reports of children who died from the flu. This study tells us that we can prevent more of these deaths by vaccinating more," said Brendan Flannery PhD, epidemiologist in the Influenza Division and lead author of the study. "We found consistent protection against flu deaths in children,” he added.
The flu-season begins in September and October and runs for around six months. Earlier this week, heath officials from the CDC suggested there are signs the 2016-17 flu season is coming to an end. Lynette Brammer, epidemiologist at the CDC, told HealthDay News this week instances of influenza A and B both declined. She described the effectiveness of this year's vaccine as "good", particularly as the dominant strain was H3N2, which is more resistant to vaccines.
Vaccination may reduce the likelihood you will contract the flu by half. Should you develop the flu, treatments such as Tamiflu can alleviate the symptoms, although this prescription medicine should not be considered an alternative to vaccination. The new vaccine for 2017-18 will be available in September.
The CDC's flu recommendations suggest everyone aged 6 months and older should get an annual flu vaccination, unless they are allergic to the vaccine. Among those who should be prioritized for vaccination are: children between six months and four years, adults aged 50 and over, caregivers and people who work in healthcare. Other at risk groups include patients with extreme obesity, chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular, renal, neurologic, and metabolic disorders.
