CDC Report Shows More Children Are Either Dying or Becoming Severely Ill With Flu Amid Declining Vaccination Rates

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report showing that more and more children are either dying or becoming severely ill with the flu amid declining vaccination rates in the United States.

Now, cases of pediatric acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) are on the rise, with 109 children being diagnosed during the 2024-25 flu season. This is a rare inflammatory brain disease caused by the illness.

Rise in Flu-Related Deaths Among Kids

A new report also showed that 84% of kids who have influenza-associated encephalopathy whose vaccination status was known were not vaccinated. This comes as the country recorded 280 pediatric flu deaths last year, which is the deadliest since the 2009-10 H1N1 pandemic.

A pediatric infectious disease physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Dr. Buddy Creech, said that they do not always know how to predict which children are going to get the most severe forms of flu. This is why they recommend the vaccine for everyone, according to NBC News.

ANE is considered a rare disease, as there are only a handful of cases recorded every year, and it has never been formally tracked. However, this year, doctors noted an increase in kids affected by the brain inflammation after suffering from the flu.

A pediatric neurologist at Boston Children's Hospital, Dr. Molly Wilson-Murphy, said that they are not yet sure if there really is an increase in real numbers. However, being on the ground as a physician, she was struck that it certainly is.

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases also underscored the crucial role that annual flu vaccinations play in preventing serious illness, particularly among children. The CDC recommends the shots for everyone aged six months and older yearly, KSTE reported.

A Decline in Vaccination Rates

Despite the decline in vaccination rates, the CDC continues to advocate for flu shots, saying these are the most effective way to protect kids from severe flu-related complications, as well as death.

The situation comes after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently voted to change recommendations for the COVID-19 vaccine. These recommendations must still be approved by the CDC director in order to become official guidance.

Advice on the COVID-19 vaccine differs from the flu shots, as the CDC said parents of healthy children aged six months to 17 years should talk about the benefits with a health care provider. The CDC broadly recommends the vaccine for moderately or severely immunocompromised kids, as per CBS News.

Originally published on parentherald.com