Flu Season Hits California Hard: Kids and Elders at Risk

This flu season has been particularly tough on California, with over 900 people losing their lives, including 15 children. This is one of the worst flu outbreaks in recent years. Most of those who died were over 64, but the number of children who have passed away is alarming. Four more kids died from the flu in the week ending February 15, which increased the seasonal pediatric death toll by more than a third. This has raised concerns among health officials. The flu season has been particularly challenging for California, with a significant increase in hospitalizations. Officials warn that the disease could continue to spread at high levels for weeks to come. The flu is not just affecting the elderly; it's also hitting the very young hard. This is a stark reminder that the flu can be dangerous for everyone, not just the very old. Four teenagers from San Diego, aged 14, 15, 16, and 17, were among the children who died from the flu this season. None of them had received flu shots. This highlights the importance of vaccination, especially for the young. Dr. Ankita Kadakia, San Diego County’s interim public health officer, expressed concern about these recent flu deaths among youth as they head into what historically is the peak of flu season. Vaccination rates have been declining, especially among children. Nationally, about 58% of children between 6 months and 17 were vaccinated against the flu during the 2020-21 season, but this number dropped to about 45% as of late January of this year. This decline is significant and concerning. In California, 47. 7% of children have been vaccinated against the flu as of late January, the lowest since at least the 2019-20 flu season. Last year at this time, 53. 7% of children were vaccinated against the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months or older get a flu shot, ideally by the end of October. This helps boost protection against the disease during the high-circulation winter months. The two types of flu circulating now are H1N1, related to the swine flu strain that caused a flu pandemic in 2009 and 2010, and H3N2, which is known for causing more serious illness. Despite the high flu activity, there may be a slight decrease. California public health officials’ recent report shows a 3. 4% decline in the rate at which flu tests returned positive results at the state’s clinical sentinel labs for the week ending February 15, the most recent for which complete data are available. However, the test positivity rate sits at an elevated 23. 3%. COVID-19 and RSV activity is low, with positivity rates of 2. 3% and 5%, respectively. It’s too early to celebrate, as more data points are needed to determine if the downward trend will hold. Flu season in the U. S. typically peaks between December and February, though the virus spreads year-round. Even if it’s on the decline, the virus is known for having a prolonged season, sometimes running through April and even later in the year. Last season, there were about 500 deaths from the flu by this point in time, and 600 the year before. This season's death toll is significantly higher, with estimates suggesting it's the worst in a decade. This flu season serves as a reminder of the importance of vaccination and the need for continued vigilance against the flu.