People aged 65 and older who were vaccinated had a 41% lower risk of being hospitalized with the flu in general and among the severe patients - a 45% lower risk of going to intensive care
The 2022-2023 flu season in the US has shown unusually early and intense activity, with high hospitalization rates due to influenza and influx of other respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and RSV.
Now, a new study recently published in the journal The Journal of Infectious Diseases of the University of Oxford, estimates that the flu vaccine reduced the risk of visits to emergency rooms and intensive care and emergency medicine departments due to flu-related complications by almost half, and hospitalizations by more than a third among US adults.
This study, which examined more than 100,000 acute respiratory illness-related medical encounters between October 2022 and March 2023, found that influenza vaccination reduced the risk of influenza A-related hospitalizations by 35% and emergency room visits and emergency department visits by 44%, with vaccine effectiveness Varies by age group and treatment framework.
According to the study, people aged 18-64 who were vaccinated against the flu had a 23% lower risk of being hospitalized due to a flu complication. People 65 and older who were vaccinated had a 41% lower risk of being hospitalized with the flu. Similar vaccine effectiveness was also observed among groups of people who are at higher risk of serious complications from the flu, including: older adults and people dealing with immunosuppressive conditions and people (44% and 38%, respectively).
The data about hospitalization in intensive care units had similar results. The chance of going to intensive care among people aged 18-64 decreased by 45% while the population aged 65 and over saw a decrease of 41%.
Most influenza virus infections are caused by influenza A(H3N2) viruses that are well compatible with the vaccine. Even in seasons with moderate vaccine effectiveness such as the 2022-2023 season, a flu shot may prevent millions of flu-related medical visits, tens of thousands of hospitalizations, and thousands of deaths. Accordingly, the CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get a seasonal flu shot each year.
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