by Donald Eng
With the 2026 flu season just beginning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that there were 289 pediatric influenza deaths in the 2024-25 season that ended Dec. 27, 2025. The 289 pediatric deaths from the flu last year were the highest ever reported, surpassing the 288 deaths in 2009-10.
The announcement came on the same day that the Department of Health and Human Services announced that multiple vaccines, including the influenza vaccine would now have a downgraded recommendation.
According to the CDC’s Flu View Report, one death occurred during Week 51 (week ending Dec. 20, 2025) and two influenza-associated deaths were reported during Week 52(Week ending December 27, 2025).
Already during the 2025-26 flu season, nine pediatric deaths have been reported.
“I can’t begin to express how concerned we are about the future health of the children in this country, who already have been unnecessarily dying from the flu — a vaccine preventable disease,” said Michele Slafkosky, executive director of the group Families Fighting Flu. “Now, with added confusion for parents and healthcare providers about childhood vaccines, I fear that flu seasons to come could be even more deadly for our youngest and most vulnerable.”
Connecticut remains among the most immunized states in the country, with 73.2% of all children from 6 months to 17 years receiving the flu vaccine, according to KFF Health’s 2024 numbers. That ranked #2 in the country behind Massachusetts and well above the national rate of 55.4%.
Flu shots are not perfect, but according to the CDC, last season’s vaccines reduced the risk of testing positive for the flu by about 56%. When people who have had the vaccine contract the flu, their symptoms tend to be milder than those who are not vaccinated.
Overall, just over 1 million state residents of all ages have received their flu immunization shot this season, although that number is down about 6% compared to last season, according to the state Department of Public Health. So far this season there have been 24,660 flu cases reported in Connecticut, resulting in 2,787 hospitalizations and 97 deaths.