The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made a broad new recommendation that all school age children receive influenza vaccine. This would increase vaccination coverage from the current recommendation of 6 months to 59 months and children with chronic medical conditions to cover all children from 6 months to 18 years. Another 30 million children would be included in this recommendation.
It is thought that children have a significant burden of disease and carry their illness to their household contacts to include parents and grandparents.
Last year the influenza associated pediatric mortality was 68. Influenza associated pediatric hospitalizations are also significant. In addition childhood influenza means lost school days and parent work days.
It will be interesting to see how this new recommendation changes the influenza statistics when fully implemented.