Fact or Fallacy?

The following facts indicate that influenza can be more serious than most people believe.

 During influenza outbreaks, the following statistics are true.

•  Up to 45% of children younger than 5 years will have the flu.
•  Approximately 9% to 10% of the children in your practice will make a flu-related office visit.
• Almost 3% of the children in your practice will make a flu-related ED visit.
• During influenza season, about 19% of office and 29% of ED visits for acute respiratory infection or fever will be because of influenza.
• A substantial number of children with influenza will develop a secondary bacterial infection (primarily otitis media or pneumonia).
•  Children are two to three times more likely to be infected with influenza virus than adults.
•  Children shed influenza virus in higher quantities and for a longer period than do adults.
• Children are the primary source of influenza infection in adults.
•  In the past few years, influenza has been responsible for approximately 36,000 deaths and 226,000 hospitalizations annually.
•  Although the incidence of death is more common among children with risk factors for influenza complications, the majority of the approximately 50 to 150 pediatric deaths per year occur among children with no known risk factors.
•  Rates of infection with influenza viruses are highest among children. Children younger than 2 years are among those with the greatest risk of hospitalization due to influenza-related illness.
• Although vaccination coverage has increased in recent years, coverage remains unacceptably low and strategies to improve vaccination coverage need to be implemented or expanded.