Flu turns deadly for children in New Jersey

😷 Influenza transmission is high in all parts of New Jersey

😷 State Health officials confirm two children have died

😷 Doctors say flu vaccine is effective this year

As New Jersey sees high transmission rates for influenza statewide, health officials are confirming the deaths of two children.

Data on the New Jersey Department of Health website list 110 specific outbreaks of influenza so far this season.

That would make this current flu season about average and about what we had seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, influenza can be serious for the very young, very old and those with compromised immune systems.

At least one of the children who died from the flu had significant underlying health issues, according to health officials.

Details about the deaths are not revealed to the public, including ages and gender.

The state did confirm one of the children was from the Northeast part of New Jersey. The other child was from Central Jersey.

How long will flu season last?

Flu cases can start showing up as early as September or October in New Jersey, but large numbers of cases are rare before November and December.

Cases typically peak during the holiday season, and then begin to drop off.

The last cases are usually seen by April and March, when the weather improves and we spend less time indoors.

How effective is the flu vaccine this year?

The efficacy of the influenza vaccine varies from year-to-year.

A new strain of flu is produced every year, and scientists do their best to match the vaccine to what they believe will be the dominant strain for any given year.

This year, the CDC reports an efficacy of about 52%.

That means individuals who have been exposed to the flu, have a 52% reduced risk of being hospitalized from severe complications.

While 52% may not sound like a lot, in past years the efficacy of the flu vaccine has been as low as 10% in 2004.

The highest recorded effectiveness was 60% in 2010, according to CDC data.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom