CDC Report Shows More Children Are Either Dying or Becoming Severely Ill With Flu Amid Declining Vaccination Rates

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September 26, 2025, 12:02 PM

• •Increase in severe flu cases and deaths among children.
• •Rise in pediatric acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) cases.
• •Majority of children with influenza-associated encephalopathy were unvaccinated.
• •CDC recommends flu shots for everyone aged six months and older.

The CDC reports a concerning rise in severe flu cases, including pediatric acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE), and flu-related deaths among children, coinciding with declining vaccination rates in the United States. A significant majority of children diagnosed with influenza-associated encephalopathy were not vaccinated, highlighting the vaccine's protective role. Experts emphasize the unpredictable nature of severe flu complications and the importance of annual flu vaccinations for everyone aged six months and older. While the CDC continues to advocate for flu shots, the situation unfolds alongside recent changes in COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.

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