Influenza: 41 child deaths recorded over past decade

With 750,000 children across State eligible to receive a free flu vaccine for the first time next month, new figures show there were 41 deaths in the State from influenza recorded in children over the past decade.

Some 11,000 notified cases of flu in children, 4,750 confirmed hospitalisations and 183 critical care hospital admissions were reported throughout the timeframe.

During the 2018-2019 flu season alone, two children aged between five and 14 died from the virus, according to data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

In the same season, the highest age-specific notification rates for all flu cases, including hospital admissions, were in children aged under five and adults aged 65 and older.

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The Government decided to vaccinate children aged two to 12 against flu for the first time this year to protect the health service from any surge in coronavirus cases at the same time as flu.

In the coronavirus era, it is particularly important to vaccinate children against flu, according to Waterford-based GP Dr Austin Byrne.

Huge implications

“This winter, every childhood cough, respiratory symptom or fever will have to be considered Covid until proven otherwise. This has huge implications for families and schools. Vaccinating children against flu also offers really significant protection to older, more vulnerable people as children are one of the main drivers of flu during the winter season.”

He says while the flu is often considered a minor illness, many children can develop severe flu complications.

The flu vaccine, delivered nasally for children, has an effectiveness rate of 83 per cent and will be available for children aged 2-12 from late October.

Some 600,000 doses of live attenuated influenza intranasal vaccine have been contracted by the HSE for children – enough for an estimated uptake of 80 per cent.

According to a spokeswoman for the HSE, up to 10 per cent of children nationally attend their GP with flu in an average season.

“Younger children are more at risk of serious complications. Children can also transmit the infection to other children, their family and others at risk. Vaccination of this group will reduce both their rates of influenza infection and flu-related complications and also lower transmission to others in the community.”

Cork-based GP Dr Nuala O’Connor, Irish College of General Practitioners Covid-19 lead, said children transmit the flu to others for longer than adults do, which is why giving them the vaccine will help protect not only themselves, but others.

“There are a lot of benefits to giving the vaccine to this cohort. It will hopefully help to reduce the burden on healthcare services this winter and decrease presentations among children to emergency departments and GP surgeries,” said Dr O’Connor.

While GPs fully support the extension of the vaccine to children, many are concerned at how such large volumes will be vaccinated safely in general practice during a pandemic, Dr O’Connor said.