Paediatric experts urge families to vaccinate children against flu, highlighting increased risks and recent virus updates, even as optimism grows over vaccine efficacy and supply for the upcoming season.
Parents should not assume the coming flu season will be mild, paediatric specialists say, even though it is still too early to know how severe it will become. Their warning is simple: vaccination remains the strongest protection against serious illness and hospital admission, especially for children who are too young or medically vulnerable.
The flu shot is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and older, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and children under 5 face a higher risk of complications, particularly those under 2. The agency also says children with asthma, diabetes, heart disease, immune suppression and other chronic conditions are more likely to become seriously ill. For children aged 2 and older who are eligible, a nasal spray option may be available depending on age and medical history.
There are some reasons for guarded optimism this year. The Food and Drug Administration has updated all three components of the 2026-27 vaccine to better match the strains that are expected to circulate, including changes prompted by viruses that spread widely last season. The agency also expects an adequate supply of vaccine. Even so, public health officials are concerned because vaccination levels among children remain relatively low.
That concern is rooted in recent experience. The American Academy of Pediatrics described last season as another high-severity year for children, with more than 180 paediatric deaths reported and hospitalisation rates among the highest seen in many years. The CDC says about 85% of vaccine-eligible children who died from flu and had a known vaccination status were not fully vaccinated. The agency also says vaccination can cut the risk of flu-related death in children and teenagers by about 80% and prevent thousands of hospitalisations in a typical season.
For most children, flu causes an illness that passes in days. But paediatric experts continue to warn that complications can include pneumonia, dehydration, worsening asthma or other chronic conditions, encephalopathy, or brain dysfunction, and in rare cases death. The American Academy of Pediatrics also notes that serious neurological and cardiac complications can occur. That is why doctors say families should treat the flu vaccine as routine seasonal protection, not an optional extra.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
