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Children with birthdays in the fall are more likely to receive annual flu vaccinations and also are more likely to experience lower rates of influenza than children born in the summer, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers used the birth month as a comparative measure because children often receive their annual well-child visits near their birthdays. Since flu vaccines typically become available in late summer or early fall, children with birthdays that coincide with the availability of the annual flu shot appear to be more likely to get vaccinated during their routine visits, according to a separate analysis of previous studies from the University of Minnesota. Kids born in the summer months, however, may need to come back later in the year for an additional appointment for a flu shot. More than half of kids born in September, October, and November had flu vaccines during the 2022-2023 respiratory virus season, according to the JAMA Pediatrics study, compared with just over 38% of those with birthdays in June, July, and August.
Flu shot effectiveness: The analysis of 5 influenza seasons between 2016 and 2023 (excluding the COVID-19 years) showed that vaccination was associated with 9–14 fewer influenza cases per 100 vaccinated children aged 2–5 years.