Reduction in influenza vaccination rates raises concerns at US CDC – Precision vaccinations

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the first estimates of influenza vaccination in children and pregnant women for the 2021-2020 flu season are lower than in the same period last season.

The 15% drop in influenza vaccine coverage among pregnant women and a 6% drop in children could put many people at risk this flu season.

The CDC said on Oct. 27, 2021 that this trend “could be dangerous for many people in these groups who may be at higher risk of developing serious complications from the flu.”

“Flu shots can save children’s lives. “

Children under the age of five and children of all ages with certain chronic conditions are at greater risk of developing serious flu complications.

The 6% drop in influenza vaccination coverage among children compared to the same period last year is of great concern, especially since vaccination coverage among children throughout the previous season (59 %) was down from the 2019-2020 season (64%).

The CDC estimates that up to 20,000 children are hospitalized with the flu each year. During the period 2019-2020, 199 childhood influenza deaths were reported to the CDC. These data represented the highest number of pediatric deaths reported to the CDC during a regular flu season since these deaths became nationally reportable.

However, only one pediatric death was confirmed by the CDC during the 2020-2021 influenza season.

But there have been over 1,000 pneumonia-related deaths reported in the Under-17s last season.

In addition, the flu is particularly dangerous for pregnant women due to changes in their immune system, heart and lungs during and after pregnancy. These changes can make women more vulnerable to the flu and its potentially serious complications.

If pregnant women get the flu, they are more than twice the risk of hospitalization as non-pregnant women of childbearing age.

Among pregnant women at the end of September 2021, immunization coverage was lower for most women.

The good news is that approximately 139 million influenza vaccines had been distributed in the United States as of October 15, 2021, so the vaccine supply is unlikely to cause a decrease in uptake.

Possible reasons for the decrease in the number of vaccines include, but are not limited to:

• Low influenza activity last season
• Vaccine fatigue caused by ongoing COVID-19 vaccination efforts
• Confusion over the need for a flu shot this season or belief that COVID-19 vaccines protect against the flu
• Changes in health-seeking behavior.

Another under-reported trend is that most countries identified very few influenza samples by the end of October 2021. This trend has been confirmed by the CDC and other health agencies, such as the WHO. , ECDC, PAHO and the United Kingdom.

Influenza viruses cause the flu, and COVID-19 is caused by another type of virus called coronavirus.

Thus, influenza vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines protect against different viruses, and one vaccine is not a substitute or replacement for the other.

Everyone should be up to date with their recommended flu and COVID-19 vaccines, according to the CDC.

The CDC has confirmed that it will continue to monitor estimates of influenza vaccine coverage to see if these early indications of lower coverage remain consistent.

Accuracy Vaccinations publishes research-based and verified vaccine information.