Having elementary school students vaccinated against seasonal flu protects the entire population from the disease, according to the results of a study recently published in the scientific journal PLOS Medicine. According to this work, conducted in Oakland, California, United States, vaccinating more students has resulted in fewer influenza hospitalizations among other age groups. Results that “correlate with everything we know about public health, vaccination, children and the role they play in the spread of viral diseases in a community”, according to Dr Eric Cioe-Pena, director of global health for Northwell Health, in New Hyde Park, New York, USA. He stresses the need to convince reluctant parents of the importance of having their children vaccinated against seasonal flu.
The researchers, led by Jade Benjamin-Chung of the University of California, closely followed the school-wide vaccination program throughout Oakland and compared its success to rates of hospitalizations associated with influenza. Four years later, the program had improved immunization coverage by 11% among children attending more than 95 preschools and elementary schools in Oakland. The increase in the vaccination rate was associated with 37 fewer seasonal influenza-related hospitalizations per 100,000 people in society (children under 4 and over 13). In addition, 160 fewer hospitalizations per 100,000 people over the age of 65 were also observed. For their part, vaccinated children developed fewer illnesses that cause absenteeism from school during the flu season.
“Making it easier for children to get immunized is one way to improve our ability to fight the flu,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior researcher at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore. “Children tend to benefit more from the flu shot because their immune systems are fresher and more responsive,” he added.
Source : WebMD
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Having elementary school students vaccinated against seasonal flu protects the entire population from the disease, according to the results of a study recently published in the scientific journal PLOS Medicine. According to this work, conducted in Oakland, California, United States, vaccinating more students has resulted in lower …
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