At least two children have died from complications of this year’s seasonal influenza, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, starting a new mortality count as health officials continue to tally ongoing deaths from last year’s deadly flu season.
The two pediatric deaths were reported during the first three weeks of October, while three deaths around that same time period last year were related to the strains of virus that circulated during the 2017-18 flu season.
These included positive tests of influenza strain A(H1N1)pdm09 virus; influenza A(H3) virus and one with influenza B virus.
The total number of pediatric deaths for the 2017/18 flu season stands at 185, the highest death toll over the past three years.
Health officials recommend seasonal vaccination against flu, especially for children beginning from the age of six months and older Americans, age 50 and over. Children between the ages of 6 months and 8 years old require two doses of the vaccine.
At least 80 percent of the pediatric deaths related to flu last year occurred in unvaccinated children, according to the CDC.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices updated its flu vaccine guidelines for the 2018/19 season by including live attenuated influenza vaccine. This vaccine, which includes a small amount of living virus, was not recommended between the 2017-18 season because of concerns that it was ineffective in preventing A(H1N1)pdm09 virus.
The live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV4) is distributed as a nasal spray called flu mist.
Other vaccines available this season are inactivated influenza vaccine — but all are developed to work against the severe forms of Influenza A strains including H1N1; H3N2 and B strain. Further, vaccines meant protect against four types of influenza include protection against Influenza B/Phuket, the CDC said.
• Laura Kelly can be reached at lkelly@washingtontimes.com.
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