Flu Shot Cuts Kids' Infection Risk in Half

"This is an excellent study which confirms previous studies and should be translated to a strong recommendation of the immunization," said Pascal James Imperato, chairman of the department of preventive medicine and community health, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in New York City.

"It's extremely important that the partial vaccination between 24 and 59 months significantly reduced the influenza infection compared to children in the same age group who had not been vaccinated. This means that even if children are partially immunized, a large number of them will not come down with the infection in a given year," Imperato said. He said that was an important finding, given the resistance among some parents to have children vaccinated and the logistics of going to the doctor's office twice to get shots.

Also, he added, children are on the front lines of spreading the flu because of their relative lack of immunity compared to adults and the fact that children can transmit a virus for as long a week. Adults, on the other hand, are infectious for about three days. "If you want to find out if there's flu epidemic, you first look at children," Imperato said.

Up to 20 percent of the population gets the flu every year, according to the CDC. The disease is primarily spread by coughing, sneezing or touching something with the flu and then touching your nose or mouth. Those at highest risk for complications from the flu include children from 6 months to 5 years of age, pregnant women and people over 50.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a group of 15 health experts chosen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide vaccination guidelines, recommends that children aged 6 to 59 months receive flu vaccinations annually. The first year he or she is vaccinated, a child must have a booster shot and a follow-up shot a little more than one month later. In succeeding years, the child only needs one shot annually.

Vaccines usually become available in the late fall to be ready for the flu season, which generally peaks in January, Shuler said.

More information

There's more on the flu at the CDC.

SOURCES: Carrie M. Shuler, D.V.M., M.P.H., medical epidemiologist, Notifiable Disease Section, Georgia Division of Public Health, Atlanta; Pascal James Imperato, M.D., chairman, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, New York City; March 2007,Pediatrics