Studies presented at IDWeek 2026 suggest seasonal flu vaccination can reduce severe outcomes in older adults and cut flu-related emergency and urgent care visits among children and adolescents.
Two new studies presented at IDWeek 2026 add to the evidence that seasonal flu vaccination can help blunt the worst outcomes of influenza in both older adults and children. One analysis from Geisinger Health System found that vaccinated older adults who came to the emergency department with laboratory-confirmed flu were less likely to need intensive care, while a separate CDC-led assessment estimated that this season’s vaccine reduced flu-related emergency and urgent care visits among children and adolescents by 36%.
The Geisinger study focused on adults aged 65 and over, a group that faces a higher risk of serious influenza complications. Researchers reviewed emergency department cases from October 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025, and compared vaccinated patients with those who had not received a seasonal shot at least 14 days before their illness. Of 452 patients, 80 had been vaccinated. ICU admission was recorded in 2.5% of vaccinated patients, compared with 10.5% of the unvaccinated group, a difference that reached statistical significance. Vaccinated patients also appeared to spend less time in hospital and in intensive care, although those differences did not meet conventional thresholds for significance.
The findings fit with broader public-health data showing that flu vaccination can reduce medical visits, hospitalisations and deaths, even though the level of protection varies from season to season. The CDC says flu vaccines prevented an estimated 10 million illnesses, 5 million medical visits, 180,000 hospitalisations and 12,000 deaths during the 2024-2025 season. Preliminary CDC data for 2025-2026 suggest the vaccines were 36% effective at preventing flu-associated outpatient visits across all age groups, and 41% effective in children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years.
For parents and caregivers, the message is straightforward: annual vaccination remains one of the most practical tools for reducing the chance that a child will need urgent care, while also helping protect older relatives who are more vulnerable to severe disease. The new studies do not eliminate the risk of flu, but they strengthen the case that vaccination can make infection less severe when it does occur.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
