CDC reports 216 child deaths this flu season, the most in 15 years

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Doctor reacts to FDA vaccine gathering cancellation

Doctor reacts to cancellation of FDA advisory committee gathering connected flu vaccine 06:23

More U.S. children person died this flu season than astatine immoderate clip since the swine flu pandemic 15 years ago, according to a national study released Friday.

The 216 pediatric deaths reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eclipse the 207 reported past year. It's the astir since the 2009-2010 H1N1 planetary flu pandemic.

The CDC estimated wide astatine slightest 47 cardinal illnesses, 610,000 hospitalizations and 26,000 deaths from flu truthful acold this season.

Since flu play is inactive ongoing, information is inactive preliminary and whitethorn change, the bureau noted.

"This fig that we person present is astir surely an undercount, and 1 that - erstwhile the play is declared over, and they compile each the information - it's astir definite to spell up," Dr. Sean O'Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics told the Associated Press.

O'Leary, a University of Colorado pediatric infectious diseases specialist, added a ample contributor to this season's severity is that less children get flu shots.

The CDC recommends everyone ages 6 months and older get a yearly flu vaccine, but flu vaccination complaint for U.S. children has fallen from astir 64% 5 years agone to 49% this season.

"Unfortunately, coming retired of the COVID pandemic, we person seen a emergence in vaccine skepticism, radical little consenting to get vaccinated, and arsenic we've seen with the pediatric flu vaccines, that has led to accrued hospitalizations arsenic good as, unfortunately, immoderate deaths," Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News aesculapian contributor and editor-at-large for nationalist wellness astatine KFF Health News, antecedently told "CBS Mornings."

While flu vaccinations whitethorn not forestall radical from getting sick, probe shows they are highly effectual astatine preventing hospitalizations and deaths, O'Leary said, adding that the diminution successful vaccinations "is surely playing a role" successful this season's nonaccomplishment of life.