CDC official announcements or guidelines

CDC Study Shows Flu Vaccines Effective for 55.7% of 15,728 Minors Against Influenza B During 2023-2024 Season

Dec 28, 2024, 01:24 PM

A recent study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that flu vaccines are effective in reducing flu-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits among minors during the 2023-2024 flu season. The research, which analyzed data from 15,728 minors treated for acute respiratory illness in the U.S. from 2015 to 2020, indicated that at least one seasonal flu shot prevented emergency room visits and hospitalizations for 55.7% of cases, regardless of severity. The study highlighted that flu vaccines were particularly effective in children and against influenza B. However, the report also noted that annual flu vaccination rates among children have not met the federal benchmark of 70% in recent years, with coverage dropping from 64% during the 2019-2020 flu season to 48% in 2023-2024. The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.