January 23, 2020 (Jerusalem Post)
Recently, in one of the few of its kind, a study has set out to test the effectiveness of influenza vaccines on children.
This study showed that “fully vaccinating children reduced the risk of hospitalization from complications associated with the flu by 54 percent,” research carried out by an epidemiologist and professor and scientist from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and University of Michigan, respectively.
Not only did this study show that vaccination reduces risk of hospitalization in children by more than 50 percent, it also confirms current Israeli and U.S. guidelines regarding pediatric flu vaccinations – two vaccine doses for children at least 8-years-old who have never been vaccinated or who had previously received one dose.
Furthermore, this study demonstrated the importance of getting a yearly flu vaccine, as this study showed effectiveness during three different flu seasons all with different circulating viruses.
The researchers of this study hope its results will encourage parents to vaccinate their children now and during future flu seasons.