The flu vaccine protected kids against serious flu illness even when the flu strain was different from the one used during vaccine production, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The news: The CDC published a new study in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases this week that showed flu vaccinations protected kids from serious flu illness.
- This happened “even when they were infected with a flu virus that was antigenically different from the vaccine virus,” the CDC said in an emailed statement.
Why it matters: “This reinforces the benefit of flu vaccination, even when circulating flu viruses have drifted and are different from the virus used in vaccine production,” according to the CDC.
Quotes: “This study highlights that flu can cause serious illness in children, but flu vaccines can be lifesaving. This is very good news,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director.
- “It’s especially important that children get a flu vaccine in addition to their recommended COVID-19 vaccines this season.
- “Flu season has started and currently flu vaccination is down in children, so now is the best time to get your child vaccinated, if you have not already.”
Flashback: The CDC said back in 2018 that the flu vaccine lessened the risk of severe flu among adults, too, stalling the number of hospitalizations and intensive care unit visits related to the seasonal illness.