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Flu Shots Cut Child Illness by 14%
2 Jun
Summary
- Flu vaccines reduce illnesses in children aged 2-5 by up to 14%.
- Hundreds of thousands of flu cases could be avoided annually in the US.
- Vaccine hesitancy fuels deadly, preventable diseases.
New research from Harvard Medical School demonstrates that flu vaccines are highly effective in reducing illnesses among children. The study found that for every 100 children aged 2-5 who receive the flu shot or nasal spray, there are between 9 and 14 fewer cases of the flu. This translates to potentially avoiding hundreds of thousands, or even a million, flu cases annually in the United States.
The findings come at a crucial time, as vaccine hesitancy, largely fueled by misinformation, has led to an increase in preventable diseases. The research analyzed national insurance claims data from 2016-2023, excluding pandemic years. It revealed that children with fall birthdays, whose vaccination schedules align naturally with doctor visits, had higher vaccination rates compared to those with summer birthdays.
Despite seasonal variations in vaccine effectiveness, the CDC reports that flu vaccination drastically reduces the risk of illness and severe outcomes in children. The agency stated that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-related death by over 75% in high-risk children and over 85% in healthy children during the 2024-2025 season. Nearly 90% of child flu deaths in the 2024-2025 season occurred in unvaccinated children.
