ALBANY, N.Y. – "As we begin to analyze the data from the 2024-2025 influenza season, we see this flu season was a challenging flu season for all, yet particularly for children.
"Sadly, there were 216 pediatric deaths reported nationally by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – the highest loss of young lives to the flu in 15 years. In New York State, 25 influenza-associated pediatric deaths have been reported this season, which is the highest recorded amount ever in New York.
"Children need to be at least 6 months old to receive a flu vaccine, some of these young New Yorkers we lost were too young for the vaccine. The best protection for these little ones is for all those around them to be up to date with the flu vaccine, which usually becomes available in September. Of the 25 deaths we saw among children this year, only one was vaccinated and five were too young to receive the vaccine.
"Misinformation around vaccines has in recent years contributed to a rise in vaccine hesitancy and declining vaccination rates.
"Vaccines are the best protection we have, and do save lives, including the lives of very young children who are too young to receive certain vaccines.
"We live in a challenging time, where honest objective information is sometimes blurred by misinformation – therefore, it remains the Department's goal to continue to provide as much education and information as possible about flu and other vaccines that remain our best protection against many viruses and preventable diseases."
