Children flu death rate is seeing surge in records this year as CDC urges citizens to get vaccinated!
As per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of children losing their lives from influenza has hit new height after one more death was reported last week.
Seasonal flu outbreaks are common in the US during the fall and winter, with each year, every 1 in 5 Americans is found suffering from the viral illness. Common flu symptoms include runny or stuffy nose, fever, sore throat, cough, headache, and body or muscle ache.
In the 2023-2024 season, CDC reported 200 flu-related deaths which broke the record of 2019-2022 season with 199 confirmed deaths.
The authorities blamed lower flu vaccination rates as the reason behind this rise as it reported about 80% of the died kids were not fully vaccinated against the contagious respiratory illness.
CDC also stated that 50% of the children also suffered from at least one pre-existing medical condition.
According to the disease prevention authority, every US citizen over six months of age should receive their recommended annual flu vaccine by the end of October.
“Vaccination remains our most effective tool to prevent illness and reduce the risk of serious complications in children,” said Boston Children’s Hospital’s Chief Innovation Officer, Dr. John Brownstein.
He added, "The decline in flu vaccination rates among children is deeply concerning and is at least partly linked to the rise in pediatric cases we're witnessing.”
It has also been reported that the flu vaccination rates have been declining in the recent years as only 53.9% of the US children were vaccinated against the illness which is 2.2% points lower than last season and 8.5% points lower than pre-pandemic, reported ABC News.
