The latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the number of children’s deaths from the flu this season has reached 216, surpassing the 207 cases in the 2023-2024 flu season, setting a new record since the H1N1 swine flu pandemic in 2009-2010. This data was released as the flu season is not yet over, and public health experts warn that the actual death toll may further increase.
CDC data shows that the current number of child deaths has exceeded the average of the past five years by 1.8 times. Children under 5 years old account for 63% of the cases, and the proportion of cases with severe complications such as pneumonia and myocarditis has increased by 27% compared to previous years. Dr. Sean O’Leary, an infectious disease expert at the University of Colorado, pointed out: “The direct cause is the variation characteristics of the influenza virus – the A H3N2 subtype virus strain that is prevalent this season has a stronger affinity for the respiratory epithelial cells of children and is prone to triggering cytokine storms.”More seriously, the American Academy of Pediatrics monitoring shows that the vaccination rate for children this season is only 49%, a significant drop from 64% five years ago. O’Leary emphasized: “Although the vaccine cannot 100% prevent infection, it can reduce the severity rate of children by 78% and the risk of death by 65%. For every 10% decrease in vaccination rate, the rate of flu-related deaths for children will increase by approximately 12%.”
Vaccine hesitancy and uneven distribution of medical resources are the two core factors. A survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that since 2023, the proportion of parents who “worry about the side effects of the vaccine” has risen from 22% to 39%, with the significant influence of pseudo-scientific information such as “vaccines are associated with children’s allergies” spread through social media. At the same time, the vaccination completion rate for children in low-income communities is only 58% of that in affluent areas, and some counties have shortened the vaccination window due to delayed distribution of flu vaccines.”In rural areas of Texas, we found that nearly 30% of families needed to drive over 50 miles to reach the vaccination site,” said Rebecca Martin, the director of the CDC’s community health program. The accessibility of vaccines is particularly prominent in the Midwest and South, and these areas are precisely the high-incidence areas for children’s flu-related deaths this season.
Influenza, along with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the novel coronavirus, have the “triple epidemic” effect that cannot be ignored. A model from the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health shows that the cross-infection rate of the three viruses among children has increased by 41% compared to single-virus epidemic seasons, leading to an overloaded immune system. In addition, the transmission efficiency of the flu virus in collective places such as schools and daycare centers has increased by 35% compared to previous years, and some school districts have been forced to temporarily suspend classes due to an absence rate of over 20%.It is worth noting that CDC data shows that 92% of children who died from the flu without vaccination had underlying diseases such as obesity and asthma, but O’Leary emphasized: “Underlying diseases should not be an excuse for ignoring vaccination – on the contrary, these children need vaccine protection even more.”How can the public health system respond to this crisis?Facing the severe situation, the CDC has launched the “Children’s Flu Protection Emergency Plan”, including urgently dispatching 1 million doses of children’s flu vaccines to 2,000 grassroots medical points, opening a 24-hour hotline for parents, and posting scientific vaccination guidelines on social media platforms. The American Academy of Pediatrics has also called on all states to include children’s flu vaccinations as a requirement for school enrollment. Currently, seven states have begun the legislative process.
“We must break the misconception that ‘vaccines are useless,'” said O’Leary, presenting the comparative data. In states where the vaccination rate remained above 60%, the rate of children’s flu deaths was 47% lower than the national average. As flu indicators gradually declined since February, public health experts hope that the upcoming autumn vaccination season will turn the situation around, but they also warn: “If the vaccination rate does not recover, the next flu season may face more severe challenges.”In the corridor of a children’s hospital in Chicago, Sarah Jones, a parent waiting for treatment, looked at the vaccine informed consent form in her hand and said with emotion: “I used to think that the flu was just a ‘minor illness,’ until I heard about the experience of my neighbor’s child… Now I understand that getting vaccinated is not only protecting my child, but also a responsibility for the entire community.” This record-breaking child flu crisis may be becoming a turning point in reshaping the public health perception in the United States.
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