Szczepionka przeciw grypie dla dzieci – Rokowania, prognozy i postęp choroby

Szczepionka przeciw grypie dla dzieci
Rokowania, prognozy i postęp choroby

Szczepionka przeciw grypie u dzieci wykazuje potwierdzoną skuteczność w redukcji zachorowalności, hospitalizacji oraz powikłań związanych z grypą. Według CDC, efektywność szczepionki w warunkach ambulatoryjnych wynosi od 32% do 60%, a w zapobieganiu hospitalizacjom od 63% do 78%. Dzieci, które otrzymały dwie dawki szczepionki w pierwszym sezonie, mają wyższą ochronę niż te zaszczepione częściowo. Szczepienie zmniejsza ryzyko hospitalizacji o 41% u małych dzieci i o 82% u dorosłych, a także redukuje ryzyko przyjęcia na oddział intensywnej terapii. Inaktywowane szczepionki (IIV) obniżają ryzyko zachorowania u dzieci w wieku 2-16 lat z 30% do 11%, natomiast żywe atenuowane szczepionki (LAIV) z 18% do 4% u dzieci 3-16 lat. Badania wskazują na znaczące zmniejszenie ryzyka ciężkiej grypy o 75%, hospitalizacji o 41% oraz zgonów o 51-65% w zależności od stanu zdrowia dziecka. Optymalny czas szczepienia to październik, co koreluje z niższym wskaźnikiem zachorowań.

Prognoza (przewidywanie wyników) szczepionki przeciw grypie dla dzieci

Szczepionka przeciw grypie dla dzieci stanowi istotny element profilaktyki, którego skuteczność i efekty ochronne zostały potwierdzone w licznych badaniach klinicznych. Analiza danych prognostycznych wskazuje na znaczącą redukcję zachorowalności, powikłań oraz śmiertelności związanej z grypą wśród zaszczepionych dzieci i populacji ogólnej.¹²

Skuteczność szczepionki w profilaktyce zachorowań

Według najnowszych danych Centrum Kontroli i Prewencji Chorób (CDC), skuteczność szczepionki przeciwko grypie u dzieci i młodzieży waha się od 32% do 60% w warunkach ambulatoryjnych oraz od 63% do 78% w zapobieganiu hospitalizacjom związanym z grypą.³⁴ Wykazano również, że dzieci, które otrzymały dwie dawki szczepionki przeciw grypie w pierwszym sezonie szczepienia (zgodnie z zaleceniami) charakteryzowały się wyższą skutecznością ochrony w porównaniu do dzieci „częściowo zaszczepionych”, które otrzymały tylko jedną dawkę.⁵

Badania wykazują, że szczepienie przeciw grypie zmniejsza ryzyko hospitalizacji związanej z grypą o 41% u małych dzieci i 82% u dorosłych. Zaszczepione osoby, które mimo to zachorują na grypę, mają również mniejsze prawdopodobieństwo przyjęcia na oddział intensywnej terapii.⁶ Ogólnie oszacowano, że inaktywowane szczepionki przeciw grypie (IIV) są w stanie zmniejszyć ryzyko zachorowania na grypę u dzieci w wieku 2-16 lat z 30% do 11%, a żywe atenuowane szczepionki przeciw grypie (LAIV) z 18% do 4% u dzieci w wieku 3-16 lat.⁷

Wpływ na powikłania i śmiertelność

Szczepionka przeciw grypie wykazuje znaczący wpływ na redukcję poważnych powikłań i śmiertelności u dzieci:⁸⁹

Badanie z 2022 roku wykazało, że szczepienie przeciw grypie zmniejszyło ryzyko ciężkiej, zagrażającej życiu grypy u dzieci o 75%.¹⁰
Badanie z 2020 roku wykazało, że w sezonie grypowym 2018-2019 szczepienie przeciw grypie zmniejszyło hospitalizacje związane z grypą o 41% i wizyty na oddziale ratunkowym związane z grypą o połowę wśród dzieci (w wieku od 6 miesięcy do 17 lat).¹¹
W 2017 roku badanie opublikowane w czasopiśmie Pediatrics było pierwszym, które wykazało, że szczepienie przeciwko grypie znacząco zmniejszyło ryzyko zgonu dziecka z powodu grypy. Badanie, które analizowało dane z czterech sezonów grypowych między 2010 a 2014 rokiem, wykazało, że szczepienie przeciwko grypie zmniejszyło ryzyko zgonu związanego z grypą o połowę (51%) wśród dzieci z podstawowymi schorzeniami wysokiego ryzyka i o prawie dwie trzecie (65%) wśród zdrowych dzieci.¹²
Badanie z 2014 roku wykazało, że szczepionka przeciw grypie zmniejszyła ryzyko przyjęcia dzieci na pediatryczny oddział intensywnej terapii (PICU) z powodu grypy o 74% w sezonach grypowych 2010-2012.¹³

Optymalny czas szczepienia a efektywność

Badania wskazują na istotny wpływ czasu szczepienia na jego skuteczność. W quasi-eksperymentalnej analizie dotyczącej małych dzieci zaszczepionych przeciwko grypie wykazano, że miesiąc urodzenia był związany z czasem szczepienia poprzez jego wpływ na harmonogram wizyt profilaktycznych.¹⁴

Dzieci zaszczepione w listopadzie i grudniu miały najmniejsze prawdopodobieństwo zdiagnozowania grypy, co może być jednak związane z niezmierzonymi czynnikami, które wpływają na czas szczepienia i ryzyko zachorowania na grypę. Dzieci urodzone w październiku miały najniższy wskaźnik diagnozy grypy (na przykład 2,7% (6016/224540) w porównaniu z 3,0% (6462/212622) w przypadku urodzonych w sierpniu; skorygowany iloraz szans 0,88, 95% przedział ufności 0,85 do 0,92).¹⁵ Wyniki badań potwierdzają obecne zalecenia, aby dzieci były szczepione w październiku poprzedzającym typowy sezon grypowy.¹⁶

Efekt stadny i wpływ na populację

Szczepienie dzieci przeciwko grypie ma znaczący wpływ nie tylko na ich indywidualną ochronę, ale również na populację ogólną poprzez efekt stadny:¹⁷¹⁸

Szacuje się, że zaszczepienie 50-70% dzieci w wieku szkolnym przeciwko grypie może wywołać pośrednie efekty ochronne w całej populacji.¹⁹
Badania modelowe potwierdzają, że rutynowe szczepienie dzieci w wieku od 0,5 do 17 lat znacząco zmniejsza częstość występowania grypy zarówno w docelowych grupach wiekowych, jak i w pozostałej populacji. Według modelu, wskaźnik zaszczepienia na poziomie 40% u tych dzieci zmniejsza częstość występowania zakażeń w całej populacji o około jedną piątą (22,7%), zapobiegając średnio 2,5 milionom zakażeń każdego roku.²⁰
Zasięg szczepień pediatrycznych na poziomie 10-60% rocznie zapobiegł 2181,732 (6,3-50,5%) zakażeniom u dzieci, 2041,961 (2,9-28,2%) u młodych dorosłych i 95868 (3,1-28,9%) u osób starszych w populacji 100 000 mieszkańców; ogółem 34,1% zakażeń w całej populacji (3,7 miliona zakażeń rocznie w Niemczech) można zapobiec, jeśli 60% wszystkich dzieci jest szczepionych co roku.²¹

Te wyraźne efekty stadne można wytłumaczyć dużą liczbą codziennych kontaktów dzieci nie tylko między sobą, ale także z dorosłymi, oraz długim okresem zakaźności.²²

Ograniczenia i wyzwania prognostyczne

Pomimo udokumentowanych korzyści, skuteczność szczepionki przeciw grypie u dzieci ma pewne ograniczenia:²³

Większy efekt obserwuje się u dzieci powyżej drugiego roku życia (pięcioro dzieci musi być zaszczepionych, aby zapobiec jednemu przypadkowi grypy, chociaż istnieje ogromna niepewność wokół tych szacunków).²⁴
Coroczna rejestracja kandydujących szczepionek przeciw grypie opiera się na ich zdolności do wywołania dobrej odpowiedzi przeciwciał. Jednak odpowiedzi przeciwciał są słabymi predyktorami ochrony w warunkach terenowych.²⁵
Niepewność co do etiologii grypopodobnych chorób (ILI), ich kapryśny charakter i słaba korelacja między odpornością a ochroną wskazują na możliwe czynniki przyczynowe lub współistniejące w genezie zarówno ILI, jak i grypy.²⁶

Bilans korzyści i ryzyka

Analizując dane dotyczące skuteczności i bezpieczeństwa, korzyści ze szczepienia przeciw grypie wyraźnie przewyższają ryzyko:²⁷²⁸

Każdego roku od 75 do 150 wcześniej zdrowych dzieci umiera po zakażeniu grypą; dlatego korzyści z otrzymania szczepionki przeciw grypie przewyższają ryzyko.²⁹
Szczepionka przeciw grypie może powodować łagodne działania niepożądane. Z drugiej strony, grypa zazwyczaj powoduje hospitalizację i śmierć większej liczby osób w tym kraju niż jakakolwiek inna choroba, której można zapobiec poprzez szczepienia – około 200 000 hospitalizacji i tysiące do dziesiątek tysięcy zgonów występuje każdego roku.³⁰
Choć szczepionka przeciw grypie nie jest doskonała, ważne jest, aby pamiętać, że osoba, która otrzymała szczepionkę przeciw grypie i nadal zachoruje na grypę, prawdopodobnie będzie miała krótszą lub mniej ciężką chorobę w porównaniu z osobą nieszczepioną.³¹

Zalecenia i schematy dawkowania

Centra Kontroli i Zapobiegania Chorobom (CDC) zalecają, aby każdy w wieku 6 miesięcy i starszy otrzymywał szczepionkę przeciw grypie co roku. Dzieci w wieku od 6 miesięcy do 8 lat wymagają dwóch dawek szczepionki przeciw grypie w odstępie czterech tygodni, jeśli są szczepione po raz pierwszy.³²³³

Szczególnie ważne jest, aby osoby z podwyższonym ryzykiem powikłań otrzymały szczepionkę przeciw grypie, w tym małe dzieci, kobiety w ciąży, dorosłych w wieku 65 lat i starszych oraz osoby z chorobami podstawowymi, takimi jak przewlekłe choroby serca, płuc i nerek.³⁴

Dzieci poniżej 5 roku życia, a zwłaszcza te poniżej 2 lat, są bardziej narażone na rozwój poważnych powikłań związanych z grypą. Centra Kontroli i Zapobiegania Chorobom (CDC) szacują, że od sezonu grypowego 2010-2011 do 2019-2020 hospitalizacje związane z grypą wśród dzieci poniżej 5 roku życia wahały się od 7000 do 26 000 w Stanach Zjednoczonych, podczas gdy zgony związane z grypą u dzieci wahały się od 37 do 199 od sezonu 2004-2005 do 2019-2020.³⁵

Podsumowanie prognozy szczepienia

Szczepionka przeciw grypie dla dzieci oferuje istotne korzyści prognostyczne, w tym zmniejszenie ryzyka zakażenia, hospitalizacji, powikłań i śmiertelności. Badania konsekwentnie potwierdzają korzystny profil bezpieczeństwa i skuteczności szczepionki, przy czym korzyści znacznie przewyższają potencjalne ryzyko. Dodatkowo, szczepienie dzieci przeciwko grypie wywołuje znaczące efekty stadne, chroniąc populację ogólną poprzez zmniejszenie transmisji wirusa.³⁶³⁷³⁸

Choć skuteczność szczepionki może się różnić w zależności od sezonu grypowego, dopasowania szczepionki do krążących szczepów oraz czynników indywidualnych, ogólna prognoza wskazuje na znaczące zmniejszenie obciążenia chorobą u zaszczepionych dzieci oraz populacji ogólnej.³⁹

Kolejne rozdziały

Zapraszamy do dalszego czytania naszego leksykonu.

Wybierz kolejny rozdział z menu poniżej, aby otworzyć nową podstronę kompedium wiedzy i uzyskać szczegółowe informację o leku, substancji lub chorobie.

Materiały źródłowe

#1 Flu Vaccine Effectiveness for Children and Older Adults | Flu Vaccines Work | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/risk-groups/index.html
Flu vaccination has been found during most seasons to provide a similar level of protection against flu illness in children to that seen among adults 18-64 years. […] In several studies, flu vaccine effectiveness was higher among children who received two doses of flu vaccine the first season that they were vaccinated (as recommended) compared to „partially vaccinated” children who only received a single dose of flu vaccine. […] In addition to preventing illness, flu vaccine can prevent severe, life-threatening complications in children, for example: A 2022 study showed that flu vaccination reduced children’s risk of severe life-threatening influenza by 75 percent. […] A 2020 study found that during the 2018-2019 flu season, flu vaccination reduced flu-related hospitalization by 41 percent and flu-related emergency department visits by half among children (aged 6 months to 17 years old).
#2 Assessing direct and indirect effects of pediatric influenza vaccination in Germany by individual-based simulations
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7227695/
Children have a high burden of influenza and play a central role in spreading influenza. Routinely vaccinating children against influenza may, thus, not only reduce their disease burden, but also that of the general population, including the elderly who frequently suffer severe complications. […] Pediatric vaccination coverage of 10-60% annually prevented 2181,732 (6.350.5%) infections in children, 2041,961 (2.928.2%) in young adults and 95868 (3.128.9%) in the elderly in a population of 100,000 inhabitants; overall, 34.1% of infections in the total population (3.7 million infections per year in Germany) can be prevented if 60% of all children are vaccinated annually. […] Enhanced pediatric vaccination prevents many infections in children and even more in young adults and the elderly. […] Our modeling results confirm that routinely vaccinating 0.5 to 17 years old children significantly reduces the incidence of influenza in both the target age groups and in the remaining population. According to the model, a vaccination rate of 40% in these children reduces the infection incidence of the entire German population by approximately one fifth (22.7%), preventing on average 2.5 million infections every year. […] These pronounced herd effects may be explained by the high number of daily contacts of children not only among themselves, but also with adults and their long duration of infectiousness.
#3 Interim Estimates of 2024â2025 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness â Four Vaccine Effectiveness Networks, United States, October 2024âFebruary 2025 | MMWR
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7406a2.htm
Interim 20242025 seasonal influenza VE estimates were derived from four U.S. VE networks. Among children and adolescents, VE was 32%, 59%, and 60% in outpatient settings (three networks) and 63% and 78% against influenza-associated hospitalization (two networks). […] Vaccination with the 20242025 influenza vaccine reduced the risk for influenza-associated outpatient visits and hospitalization. […] Among children and adolescents aged 18 years, VE against any influenza was 32%, 59%, and 60% in the outpatient setting in three networks, and against influenza-associated hospitalization was 63% and 78% in two networks. […] These interim estimates of 202425 VE indicate that influenza vaccination was effective in preventing medically attended influenza-associated illness in children, adolescents, and adults in the United States. Among children and adolescents, VE against medically attended influenza ranged from 32% to 60% in outpatient settings and from 63% to 78% against influenza-associated hospitalization.
#4 2024-2025 Flu Vaccine Effectiveness: What Do We Know?
https://www.flu.com/Articles/2024/2024-2025-Flu-Vaccine-Effectiveness
According to the newly released CDC report, vaccine effectiveness against any influenza in children and adolescents was between 32% and 60% in outpatient settings, and between 63% and 78% against influenza-associated hospitalization. […] Studies have shown flu vaccination lowers the risk of flu-related hospitalization by 41% in young children and 82% in adults. Vaccinated individuals who still get sick with flu are also less likely to be admitted to the ICU.
#5 Flu Vaccine Effectiveness for Children and Older Adults | Flu Vaccines Work | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/risk-groups/index.html
Flu vaccination has been found during most seasons to provide a similar level of protection against flu illness in children to that seen among adults 18-64 years. […] In several studies, flu vaccine effectiveness was higher among children who received two doses of flu vaccine the first season that they were vaccinated (as recommended) compared to „partially vaccinated” children who only received a single dose of flu vaccine. […] In addition to preventing illness, flu vaccine can prevent severe, life-threatening complications in children, for example: A 2022 study showed that flu vaccination reduced children’s risk of severe life-threatening influenza by 75 percent. […] A 2020 study found that during the 2018-2019 flu season, flu vaccination reduced flu-related hospitalization by 41 percent and flu-related emergency department visits by half among children (aged 6 months to 17 years old).
#6 2024-2025 Flu Vaccine Effectiveness: What Do We Know?
https://www.flu.com/Articles/2024/2024-2025-Flu-Vaccine-Effectiveness
According to the newly released CDC report, vaccine effectiveness against any influenza in children and adolescents was between 32% and 60% in outpatient settings, and between 63% and 78% against influenza-associated hospitalization. […] Studies have shown flu vaccination lowers the risk of flu-related hospitalization by 41% in young children and 82% in adults. Vaccinated individuals who still get sick with flu are also less likely to be admitted to the ICU.
#7 Influenza Viruses and Vaccines: The Role of Vaccine Effectiveness Studies for Evaluation of the Benefits of Influenza Vaccines
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9143275/
Children younger than 5 years old, and especially those younger than 2 years, are at higher risk of developing serious influenza-related complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that from the 2010-2011 to the 2019-2020 influenza seasons, influenza-related hospitalizations among children younger than 5 years ranged from 7000 to 26,000 in the United States, while influenza-related deaths in children ranged from 37 to 199 from the 2004-2005 to the 2019-2020 influenza seasons. […] Influenza vaccination is recommended for children aged 6 months and older; two doses at least 4 weeks apart are recommended for children aged 6-59 months at initial vaccination, while children aged 3-5 months receiving a pediatric dose. […] Overall, it has been estimated that IIVs are able to reduce the risk of influenza in children aged 2-16 years from 30% to 11%, and LAIVs from 18% to 4% in children aged 3-16 years.
#8 Flu Vaccine Effectiveness for Children and Older Adults | Flu Vaccines Work | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/risk-groups/index.html
Flu vaccination has been found during most seasons to provide a similar level of protection against flu illness in children to that seen among adults 18-64 years. […] In several studies, flu vaccine effectiveness was higher among children who received two doses of flu vaccine the first season that they were vaccinated (as recommended) compared to „partially vaccinated” children who only received a single dose of flu vaccine. […] In addition to preventing illness, flu vaccine can prevent severe, life-threatening complications in children, for example: A 2022 study showed that flu vaccination reduced children’s risk of severe life-threatening influenza by 75 percent. […] A 2020 study found that during the 2018-2019 flu season, flu vaccination reduced flu-related hospitalization by 41 percent and flu-related emergency department visits by half among children (aged 6 months to 17 years old).
#9 Flu Vaccine Effectiveness for Children and Older Adults | Flu Vaccines Work | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/risk-groups/index.html
In 2017, a study in the journal Pediatrics was the first of its kind to show that flu vaccination also significantly reduced a child’s risk of dying from flu. The study, which looked at data from four flu seasons between 2010 and 2014, found that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-associated death by half (51 percent) among children with underlying, higher risk medical conditions and by nearly two-thirds (65 percent) among healthy children. […] A 2014 study showed that flu vaccine reduced children’s risk of flu-related pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission by 74 percent during flu seasons from 2010-2012.
#10 Flu Vaccine Effectiveness for Children and Older Adults | Flu Vaccines Work | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/risk-groups/index.html
Flu vaccination has been found during most seasons to provide a similar level of protection against flu illness in children to that seen among adults 18-64 years. […] In several studies, flu vaccine effectiveness was higher among children who received two doses of flu vaccine the first season that they were vaccinated (as recommended) compared to „partially vaccinated” children who only received a single dose of flu vaccine. […] In addition to preventing illness, flu vaccine can prevent severe, life-threatening complications in children, for example: A 2022 study showed that flu vaccination reduced children’s risk of severe life-threatening influenza by 75 percent. […] A 2020 study found that during the 2018-2019 flu season, flu vaccination reduced flu-related hospitalization by 41 percent and flu-related emergency department visits by half among children (aged 6 months to 17 years old).
#11 Flu Vaccine Effectiveness for Children and Older Adults | Flu Vaccines Work | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/risk-groups/index.html
Flu vaccination has been found during most seasons to provide a similar level of protection against flu illness in children to that seen among adults 18-64 years. […] In several studies, flu vaccine effectiveness was higher among children who received two doses of flu vaccine the first season that they were vaccinated (as recommended) compared to „partially vaccinated” children who only received a single dose of flu vaccine. […] In addition to preventing illness, flu vaccine can prevent severe, life-threatening complications in children, for example: A 2022 study showed that flu vaccination reduced children’s risk of severe life-threatening influenza by 75 percent. […] A 2020 study found that during the 2018-2019 flu season, flu vaccination reduced flu-related hospitalization by 41 percent and flu-related emergency department visits by half among children (aged 6 months to 17 years old).
#12 Flu Vaccine Effectiveness for Children and Older Adults | Flu Vaccines Work | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/risk-groups/index.html
In 2017, a study in the journal Pediatrics was the first of its kind to show that flu vaccination also significantly reduced a child’s risk of dying from flu. The study, which looked at data from four flu seasons between 2010 and 2014, found that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-associated death by half (51 percent) among children with underlying, higher risk medical conditions and by nearly two-thirds (65 percent) among healthy children. […] A 2014 study showed that flu vaccine reduced children’s risk of flu-related pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission by 74 percent during flu seasons from 2010-2012.
#13 Flu Vaccine Effectiveness for Children and Older Adults | Flu Vaccines Work | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/risk-groups/index.html
In 2017, a study in the journal Pediatrics was the first of its kind to show that flu vaccination also significantly reduced a child’s risk of dying from flu. The study, which looked at data from four flu seasons between 2010 and 2014, found that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-associated death by half (51 percent) among children with underlying, higher risk medical conditions and by nearly two-thirds (65 percent) among healthy children. […] A 2014 study showed that flu vaccine reduced children’s risk of flu-related pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission by 74 percent during flu seasons from 2010-2012.
#14 Optimal timing of influenza vaccination in young children: population based cohort study | The BMJ
https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-077076
In a quasi-experimental analysis of young children vaccinated against influenza, birth month was associated with the timing of vaccination through its influence on the timing of preventive care visits. […] Children born in October were most likely to be vaccinated in October and least likely to have a diagnosis of influenza, consistent with recommendations promoting October vaccination. […] Children vaccinated in November and December were least likely to have a diagnosis of influenza, a finding that may be confounded by unmeasured factors that influence the timing of vaccination and risk of influenza. […] Children born in October had the lowest rate of influenza diagnosis (for example, 2.7% (6016/224540) versus 3.0% (6462/212622) for those born in August; adjusted odds ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.85 to 0.92). […] The findings support current recommendations that children be vaccinated in October preceding a typical influenza season.
#15 Optimal timing of influenza vaccination in young children: population based cohort study | The BMJ
https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-077076
In a quasi-experimental analysis of young children vaccinated against influenza, birth month was associated with the timing of vaccination through its influence on the timing of preventive care visits. […] Children born in October were most likely to be vaccinated in October and least likely to have a diagnosis of influenza, consistent with recommendations promoting October vaccination. […] Children vaccinated in November and December were least likely to have a diagnosis of influenza, a finding that may be confounded by unmeasured factors that influence the timing of vaccination and risk of influenza. […] Children born in October had the lowest rate of influenza diagnosis (for example, 2.7% (6016/224540) versus 3.0% (6462/212622) for those born in August; adjusted odds ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.85 to 0.92). […] The findings support current recommendations that children be vaccinated in October preceding a typical influenza season.
#16 Optimal timing of influenza vaccination in young children: population based cohort study | The BMJ
https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-077076
In a quasi-experimental analysis of young children vaccinated against influenza, birth month was associated with the timing of vaccination through its influence on the timing of preventive care visits. […] Children born in October were most likely to be vaccinated in October and least likely to have a diagnosis of influenza, consistent with recommendations promoting October vaccination. […] Children vaccinated in November and December were least likely to have a diagnosis of influenza, a finding that may be confounded by unmeasured factors that influence the timing of vaccination and risk of influenza. […] Children born in October had the lowest rate of influenza diagnosis (for example, 2.7% (6016/224540) versus 3.0% (6462/212622) for those born in August; adjusted odds ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.85 to 0.92). […] The findings support current recommendations that children be vaccinated in October preceding a typical influenza season.
#17 Assessing direct and indirect effects of pediatric influenza vaccination in Germany by individual-based simulations
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7227695/
Children have a high burden of influenza and play a central role in spreading influenza. Routinely vaccinating children against influenza may, thus, not only reduce their disease burden, but also that of the general population, including the elderly who frequently suffer severe complications. […] Pediatric vaccination coverage of 10-60% annually prevented 2181,732 (6.350.5%) infections in children, 2041,961 (2.928.2%) in young adults and 95868 (3.128.9%) in the elderly in a population of 100,000 inhabitants; overall, 34.1% of infections in the total population (3.7 million infections per year in Germany) can be prevented if 60% of all children are vaccinated annually. […] Enhanced pediatric vaccination prevents many infections in children and even more in young adults and the elderly. […] Our modeling results confirm that routinely vaccinating 0.5 to 17 years old children significantly reduces the incidence of influenza in both the target age groups and in the remaining population. According to the model, a vaccination rate of 40% in these children reduces the infection incidence of the entire German population by approximately one fifth (22.7%), preventing on average 2.5 million infections every year. […] These pronounced herd effects may be explained by the high number of daily contacts of children not only among themselves, but also with adults and their long duration of infectiousness.
#18 Evaluation of a city-wide school-located influenza vaccination program in Oakland, California, with respect to vaccination coverage, school absences, and laboratory-confirmed influenza: A matched cohort study | PLOS Medicine
https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003238
It is estimated that vaccinating 50%70% of school-aged children for influenza can produce population-wide indirect effects. […] A city-wide SLIV intervention in a large, diverse urban population was associated with a decrease in the incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalization in all age groups and a decrease in illness-specific school absence rate among students in 20162017 and 20172018, seasons when the vaccine was moderately effective, suggesting that the intervention produced indirect effects. […] Our findings suggest that in populations with moderately high background levels of influenza vaccination coverage, SLIV programs are associated with further increases in coverage and reduced influenza across the community.
#19 Evaluation of a city-wide school-located influenza vaccination program in Oakland, California, with respect to vaccination coverage, school absences, and laboratory-confirmed influenza: A matched cohort study | PLOS Medicine
https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003238
It is estimated that vaccinating 50%70% of school-aged children for influenza can produce population-wide indirect effects. […] A city-wide SLIV intervention in a large, diverse urban population was associated with a decrease in the incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalization in all age groups and a decrease in illness-specific school absence rate among students in 20162017 and 20172018, seasons when the vaccine was moderately effective, suggesting that the intervention produced indirect effects. […] Our findings suggest that in populations with moderately high background levels of influenza vaccination coverage, SLIV programs are associated with further increases in coverage and reduced influenza across the community.
#20 Assessing direct and indirect effects of pediatric influenza vaccination in Germany by individual-based simulations
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7227695/
Children have a high burden of influenza and play a central role in spreading influenza. Routinely vaccinating children against influenza may, thus, not only reduce their disease burden, but also that of the general population, including the elderly who frequently suffer severe complications. […] Pediatric vaccination coverage of 10-60% annually prevented 2181,732 (6.350.5%) infections in children, 2041,961 (2.928.2%) in young adults and 95868 (3.128.9%) in the elderly in a population of 100,000 inhabitants; overall, 34.1% of infections in the total population (3.7 million infections per year in Germany) can be prevented if 60% of all children are vaccinated annually. […] Enhanced pediatric vaccination prevents many infections in children and even more in young adults and the elderly. […] Our modeling results confirm that routinely vaccinating 0.5 to 17 years old children significantly reduces the incidence of influenza in both the target age groups and in the remaining population. According to the model, a vaccination rate of 40% in these children reduces the infection incidence of the entire German population by approximately one fifth (22.7%), preventing on average 2.5 million infections every year. […] These pronounced herd effects may be explained by the high number of daily contacts of children not only among themselves, but also with adults and their long duration of infectiousness.
#21 Assessing direct and indirect effects of pediatric influenza vaccination in Germany by individual-based simulations
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7227695/
Children have a high burden of influenza and play a central role in spreading influenza. Routinely vaccinating children against influenza may, thus, not only reduce their disease burden, but also that of the general population, including the elderly who frequently suffer severe complications. […] Pediatric vaccination coverage of 10-60% annually prevented 2181,732 (6.350.5%) infections in children, 2041,961 (2.928.2%) in young adults and 95868 (3.128.9%) in the elderly in a population of 100,000 inhabitants; overall, 34.1% of infections in the total population (3.7 million infections per year in Germany) can be prevented if 60% of all children are vaccinated annually. […] Enhanced pediatric vaccination prevents many infections in children and even more in young adults and the elderly. […] Our modeling results confirm that routinely vaccinating 0.5 to 17 years old children significantly reduces the incidence of influenza in both the target age groups and in the remaining population. According to the model, a vaccination rate of 40% in these children reduces the infection incidence of the entire German population by approximately one fifth (22.7%), preventing on average 2.5 million infections every year. […] These pronounced herd effects may be explained by the high number of daily contacts of children not only among themselves, but also with adults and their long duration of infectiousness.
#22 Assessing direct and indirect effects of pediatric influenza vaccination in Germany by individual-based simulations
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7227695/
Children have a high burden of influenza and play a central role in spreading influenza. Routinely vaccinating children against influenza may, thus, not only reduce their disease burden, but also that of the general population, including the elderly who frequently suffer severe complications. […] Pediatric vaccination coverage of 10-60% annually prevented 2181,732 (6.350.5%) infections in children, 2041,961 (2.928.2%) in young adults and 95868 (3.128.9%) in the elderly in a population of 100,000 inhabitants; overall, 34.1% of infections in the total population (3.7 million infections per year in Germany) can be prevented if 60% of all children are vaccinated annually. […] Enhanced pediatric vaccination prevents many infections in children and even more in young adults and the elderly. […] Our modeling results confirm that routinely vaccinating 0.5 to 17 years old children significantly reduces the incidence of influenza in both the target age groups and in the remaining population. According to the model, a vaccination rate of 40% in these children reduces the infection incidence of the entire German population by approximately one fifth (22.7%), preventing on average 2.5 million infections every year. […] These pronounced herd effects may be explained by the high number of daily contacts of children not only among themselves, but also with adults and their long duration of infectiousness.
#23 Why have three long-running Cochrane Reviews on influenza vaccines been stabilised? | Cochrane Community
https://community.cochrane.org/news/why-have-three-long-running-cochrane-reviews-influenza-vaccines-been-stabilised
Three Cochrane Reviews focussing on the prevention of influenza in healthy adults, healthy children, and in the elderly are long-running reviews under the same senior author team. […] A larger effect is observed in children over the age of two (five children need to be vaccinated to prevent one case of influenza, although there is huge uncertainty around these estimates). […] Other reviews have drawn similar conclusions. […] Current yearly registration of candidate influenza vaccines is based on their ability to trigger a good antibody response. But antibody responses are poor predictors of field protection. […] The uncertainty over the aetiology of ILI, its capricious nature and the weak correlation between immunity and protection, point to possible causal or concurrent factors in the genesis of both ILI and influenza. […] We await to see whether anyone has the interest or the courage to develop effective ways to control upper respiratory viral syndromes.
#24 Why have three long-running Cochrane Reviews on influenza vaccines been stabilised? | Cochrane Community
https://community.cochrane.org/news/why-have-three-long-running-cochrane-reviews-influenza-vaccines-been-stabilised
Three Cochrane Reviews focussing on the prevention of influenza in healthy adults, healthy children, and in the elderly are long-running reviews under the same senior author team. […] A larger effect is observed in children over the age of two (five children need to be vaccinated to prevent one case of influenza, although there is huge uncertainty around these estimates). […] Other reviews have drawn similar conclusions. […] Current yearly registration of candidate influenza vaccines is based on their ability to trigger a good antibody response. But antibody responses are poor predictors of field protection. […] The uncertainty over the aetiology of ILI, its capricious nature and the weak correlation between immunity and protection, point to possible causal or concurrent factors in the genesis of both ILI and influenza. […] We await to see whether anyone has the interest or the courage to develop effective ways to control upper respiratory viral syndromes.
#25 Why have three long-running Cochrane Reviews on influenza vaccines been stabilised? | Cochrane Community
https://community.cochrane.org/news/why-have-three-long-running-cochrane-reviews-influenza-vaccines-been-stabilised
Three Cochrane Reviews focussing on the prevention of influenza in healthy adults, healthy children, and in the elderly are long-running reviews under the same senior author team. […] A larger effect is observed in children over the age of two (five children need to be vaccinated to prevent one case of influenza, although there is huge uncertainty around these estimates). […] Other reviews have drawn similar conclusions. […] Current yearly registration of candidate influenza vaccines is based on their ability to trigger a good antibody response. But antibody responses are poor predictors of field protection. […] The uncertainty over the aetiology of ILI, its capricious nature and the weak correlation between immunity and protection, point to possible causal or concurrent factors in the genesis of both ILI and influenza. […] We await to see whether anyone has the interest or the courage to develop effective ways to control upper respiratory viral syndromes.
#26 Why have three long-running Cochrane Reviews on influenza vaccines been stabilised? | Cochrane Community
https://community.cochrane.org/news/why-have-three-long-running-cochrane-reviews-influenza-vaccines-been-stabilised
Three Cochrane Reviews focussing on the prevention of influenza in healthy adults, healthy children, and in the elderly are long-running reviews under the same senior author team. […] A larger effect is observed in children over the age of two (five children need to be vaccinated to prevent one case of influenza, although there is huge uncertainty around these estimates). […] Other reviews have drawn similar conclusions. […] Current yearly registration of candidate influenza vaccines is based on their ability to trigger a good antibody response. But antibody responses are poor predictors of field protection. […] The uncertainty over the aetiology of ILI, its capricious nature and the weak correlation between immunity and protection, point to possible causal or concurrent factors in the genesis of both ILI and influenza. […] We await to see whether anyone has the interest or the courage to develop effective ways to control upper respiratory viral syndromes.
#27 Influenza: The Disease & Vaccines | Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-details/influenza-vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive the influenza vaccine each year. […] Children 6 months to 8 years of age require two doses of influenza vaccine separated by four weeks if they: […] Every year, between 75 and 150 previously healthy children die after becoming infected with influenza; therefore, the benefits of getting the influenza vaccine outweigh the risks. […] Some people are at increased risk of experiencing complications and as such, it is particularly important for them to get the influenza vaccine, including young children, pregnant women, adults 65 years of age and older, and individuals with underlying medical conditions, such as chronic heart, lung and kidney conditions. […] While the influenza vaccine is not perfect, its important to remember that someone who received a flu vaccine and still gets the flu is likely to have a shorter or less severe illness compared with an unvaccinated person.
#28 Influenza: The Disease & Vaccines | Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-details/influenza-vaccine
If you seek medical attention for influenza infection, a first step is usually confirming the influenza infection. This is done with a rapid flu test, which detects genetic material of the virus from a nasal swab within 15 minutes. […] The influenza vaccine can cause mild side effects. On the other hand, influenza typically hospitalizes and kills more people in this country than any other vaccine-preventable disease about 200,000 hospitalizations and thousands to tens of thousands of deaths occur every year. Therefore, the benefits of the influenza vaccine clearly outweigh its risks.
#29 Influenza: The Disease & Vaccines | Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-details/influenza-vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive the influenza vaccine each year. […] Children 6 months to 8 years of age require two doses of influenza vaccine separated by four weeks if they: […] Every year, between 75 and 150 previously healthy children die after becoming infected with influenza; therefore, the benefits of getting the influenza vaccine outweigh the risks. […] Some people are at increased risk of experiencing complications and as such, it is particularly important for them to get the influenza vaccine, including young children, pregnant women, adults 65 years of age and older, and individuals with underlying medical conditions, such as chronic heart, lung and kidney conditions. […] While the influenza vaccine is not perfect, its important to remember that someone who received a flu vaccine and still gets the flu is likely to have a shorter or less severe illness compared with an unvaccinated person.
#30 Influenza: The Disease & Vaccines | Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-details/influenza-vaccine
If you seek medical attention for influenza infection, a first step is usually confirming the influenza infection. This is done with a rapid flu test, which detects genetic material of the virus from a nasal swab within 15 minutes. […] The influenza vaccine can cause mild side effects. On the other hand, influenza typically hospitalizes and kills more people in this country than any other vaccine-preventable disease about 200,000 hospitalizations and thousands to tens of thousands of deaths occur every year. Therefore, the benefits of the influenza vaccine clearly outweigh its risks.
#31 Influenza: The Disease & Vaccines | Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-details/influenza-vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive the influenza vaccine each year. […] Children 6 months to 8 years of age require two doses of influenza vaccine separated by four weeks if they: […] Every year, between 75 and 150 previously healthy children die after becoming infected with influenza; therefore, the benefits of getting the influenza vaccine outweigh the risks. […] Some people are at increased risk of experiencing complications and as such, it is particularly important for them to get the influenza vaccine, including young children, pregnant women, adults 65 years of age and older, and individuals with underlying medical conditions, such as chronic heart, lung and kidney conditions. […] While the influenza vaccine is not perfect, its important to remember that someone who received a flu vaccine and still gets the flu is likely to have a shorter or less severe illness compared with an unvaccinated person.
#32 Influenza: The Disease & Vaccines | Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-details/influenza-vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive the influenza vaccine each year. […] Children 6 months to 8 years of age require two doses of influenza vaccine separated by four weeks if they: […] Every year, between 75 and 150 previously healthy children die after becoming infected with influenza; therefore, the benefits of getting the influenza vaccine outweigh the risks. […] Some people are at increased risk of experiencing complications and as such, it is particularly important for them to get the influenza vaccine, including young children, pregnant women, adults 65 years of age and older, and individuals with underlying medical conditions, such as chronic heart, lung and kidney conditions. […] While the influenza vaccine is not perfect, its important to remember that someone who received a flu vaccine and still gets the flu is likely to have a shorter or less severe illness compared with an unvaccinated person.
#33 Influenza Viruses and Vaccines: The Role of Vaccine Effectiveness Studies for Evaluation of the Benefits of Influenza Vaccines
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9143275/
Children younger than 5 years old, and especially those younger than 2 years, are at higher risk of developing serious influenza-related complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that from the 2010-2011 to the 2019-2020 influenza seasons, influenza-related hospitalizations among children younger than 5 years ranged from 7000 to 26,000 in the United States, while influenza-related deaths in children ranged from 37 to 199 from the 2004-2005 to the 2019-2020 influenza seasons. […] Influenza vaccination is recommended for children aged 6 months and older; two doses at least 4 weeks apart are recommended for children aged 6-59 months at initial vaccination, while children aged 3-5 months receiving a pediatric dose. […] Overall, it has been estimated that IIVs are able to reduce the risk of influenza in children aged 2-16 years from 30% to 11%, and LAIVs from 18% to 4% in children aged 3-16 years.
#34 Influenza: The Disease & Vaccines | Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-details/influenza-vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive the influenza vaccine each year. […] Children 6 months to 8 years of age require two doses of influenza vaccine separated by four weeks if they: […] Every year, between 75 and 150 previously healthy children die after becoming infected with influenza; therefore, the benefits of getting the influenza vaccine outweigh the risks. […] Some people are at increased risk of experiencing complications and as such, it is particularly important for them to get the influenza vaccine, including young children, pregnant women, adults 65 years of age and older, and individuals with underlying medical conditions, such as chronic heart, lung and kidney conditions. […] While the influenza vaccine is not perfect, its important to remember that someone who received a flu vaccine and still gets the flu is likely to have a shorter or less severe illness compared with an unvaccinated person.
#35 Influenza Viruses and Vaccines: The Role of Vaccine Effectiveness Studies for Evaluation of the Benefits of Influenza Vaccines
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9143275/
Children younger than 5 years old, and especially those younger than 2 years, are at higher risk of developing serious influenza-related complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that from the 2010-2011 to the 2019-2020 influenza seasons, influenza-related hospitalizations among children younger than 5 years ranged from 7000 to 26,000 in the United States, while influenza-related deaths in children ranged from 37 to 199 from the 2004-2005 to the 2019-2020 influenza seasons. […] Influenza vaccination is recommended for children aged 6 months and older; two doses at least 4 weeks apart are recommended for children aged 6-59 months at initial vaccination, while children aged 3-5 months receiving a pediatric dose. […] Overall, it has been estimated that IIVs are able to reduce the risk of influenza in children aged 2-16 years from 30% to 11%, and LAIVs from 18% to 4% in children aged 3-16 years.
#36 Assessing direct and indirect effects of pediatric influenza vaccination in Germany by individual-based simulations
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7227695/
Children have a high burden of influenza and play a central role in spreading influenza. Routinely vaccinating children against influenza may, thus, not only reduce their disease burden, but also that of the general population, including the elderly who frequently suffer severe complications. […] Pediatric vaccination coverage of 10-60% annually prevented 2181,732 (6.350.5%) infections in children, 2041,961 (2.928.2%) in young adults and 95868 (3.128.9%) in the elderly in a population of 100,000 inhabitants; overall, 34.1% of infections in the total population (3.7 million infections per year in Germany) can be prevented if 60% of all children are vaccinated annually. […] Enhanced pediatric vaccination prevents many infections in children and even more in young adults and the elderly. […] Our modeling results confirm that routinely vaccinating 0.5 to 17 years old children significantly reduces the incidence of influenza in both the target age groups and in the remaining population. According to the model, a vaccination rate of 40% in these children reduces the infection incidence of the entire German population by approximately one fifth (22.7%), preventing on average 2.5 million infections every year. […] These pronounced herd effects may be explained by the high number of daily contacts of children not only among themselves, but also with adults and their long duration of infectiousness.
#37 Flu Vaccine Effectiveness for Children and Older Adults | Flu Vaccines Work | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/risk-groups/index.html
Flu vaccination has been found during most seasons to provide a similar level of protection against flu illness in children to that seen among adults 18-64 years. […] In several studies, flu vaccine effectiveness was higher among children who received two doses of flu vaccine the first season that they were vaccinated (as recommended) compared to „partially vaccinated” children who only received a single dose of flu vaccine. […] In addition to preventing illness, flu vaccine can prevent severe, life-threatening complications in children, for example: A 2022 study showed that flu vaccination reduced children’s risk of severe life-threatening influenza by 75 percent. […] A 2020 study found that during the 2018-2019 flu season, flu vaccination reduced flu-related hospitalization by 41 percent and flu-related emergency department visits by half among children (aged 6 months to 17 years old).
#38 Interim Estimates of 2024â2025 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness â Four Vaccine Effectiveness Networks, United States, October 2024âFebruary 2025 | MMWR
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7406a2.htm
Interim 20242025 seasonal influenza VE estimates were derived from four U.S. VE networks. Among children and adolescents, VE was 32%, 59%, and 60% in outpatient settings (three networks) and 63% and 78% against influenza-associated hospitalization (two networks). […] Vaccination with the 20242025 influenza vaccine reduced the risk for influenza-associated outpatient visits and hospitalization. […] Among children and adolescents aged 18 years, VE against any influenza was 32%, 59%, and 60% in the outpatient setting in three networks, and against influenza-associated hospitalization was 63% and 78% in two networks. […] These interim estimates of 202425 VE indicate that influenza vaccination was effective in preventing medically attended influenza-associated illness in children, adolescents, and adults in the United States. Among children and adolescents, VE against medically attended influenza ranged from 32% to 60% in outpatient settings and from 63% to 78% against influenza-associated hospitalization.
#39 Influenza Viruses and Vaccines: The Role of Vaccine Effectiveness Studies for Evaluation of the Benefits of Influenza Vaccines
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9143275/
With regard to IIVs and children aged up to 59 months, VE varies from moderate to effective depending on the influenza season considered and, in some cases, on diagnostic sensitivity. […] Overall, both studies concluded that influenza vaccination provided substantial protection in children, even in seasons characterized by a high disease burden and the predominant circulation of mismatched viruses, such as H3N2.