The burden of influenza
In the year 1900, influenza and pneumonia caused around 202 deaths per 100,000 population in the United States, making it the leading cause of death at that time. However, in 2022, influenza and pneumonia were no longer among the ten leading causes of death in the United States. Nevertheless, the burden of influenza and pneumonia is still substantial. For example, it was estimated that during the 2022-2023 flu season there were around 31 million cases of influenza in the U.S. as well as 360,000 hospitalizations due to influenza. Furthermore, it was estimated that influenza was responsible for around 21,000 deaths during the 2022-2023 flu season.Influenza vaccination
Although receiving an annual seasonal influenza vaccination is the best way to protect against influenza, many people in the United States do not get regularly vaccinated. During the 2022-2023 flu season only 35 percent of those aged 18 to 49 years received a flu vaccination, while 70 percent of those aged 65 years and older had been vaccinated. The effectiveness of the influenza vaccine varies from season to season and depends on the age and health status of the receiver. Nevertheless, during the 2022-2023 flu season, it was estimated that influenza vaccinations prevented over 1.9 million influenza cases among children and adolescents aged aged 5 to 17 years, alone. That year influenza vaccinations were also estimated to have prevented 63 deaths among children aged 6 months to 4 years as well as 2,479 deaths among those aged 65 years and older.
