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

NBC News (12/12, Edwards) says, “Even though a record number of kids 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. kids – 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, O'Connell-Domenech) 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.”