Percentage Of Children Getting Flu Shots Continues To Drop, CDC Says

Posted on December 13, 2024

NBC News (12/12) says, “Even though a record number of [children] died from the flu last year, the percentage of children getting flu shots continues to plummet.” The CDC “reported Wednesday that as of Nov. 30, just over a third of U.S. [children] – 37% – had gotten flu shots, down from 43% at the same time last year.” The decrease “worries pediatricians who are starting to see an uptick in flu cases.”

The Hill (12/12) reports, “These numbers could change because roughly 10 percent of children had a parent report they intend to get their child vaccinated, and about 14 percent had a parent say they will probably get their child vaccinated against the flu, according to the CDC.” Last “flu season was particularly deadly – the CDC reported 205 children died from the disease, the most since the COVID-19 pandemic.”