CDC Says Influenza Vaccinations Prevented 79,000 Flu Hospitalizations Last Year
Posted on December 13, 2013
The CDC says influenza vaccinations prevented 79,000 flu hospitalizations and 3.2 million medical visits last year. The CDC says just 40% off Americans 6 months and older had received a flu vaccine as of early November 2013. The CDC says the estimated benefits of the vaccination for the 2012-2013 season (as shown in the above graphic) are higher than any other season for which the CDC has produced estimates. The CDC associates this with the severity of last season, which generated 14.4 medically attended illnesses and 381,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. This was higher than the average annual estimated flu associated hospitalizations of about 200,000.
CDC's Anne Schuchat, MD, says, "We are happy that annual flu vaccination is becoming a habit for many people, but there is still much room for improvement. The bottom-line is that influenza can cause a tremendous amount of illness and can be severe. Even when our flu vaccines are not as effective as we want them to be, they can reduce flu illnesses, doctors' visits, and flu-related hospitalizations and deaths."