Until now, many people believed that the influenza vaccine was ineffective for babies. A new Finnish study demonstrates high success rates for babies under 2.
Researchers at the University Hospital of Turku, Finland, observed 631 children aged 9 to 40 months who were infected with influenza A or B. Their results, published in the medical journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases, showed that vaccines were effective 66% overall and 84% against influenza A.
The authors believe the flu shot also offers a financial benefit, in that babies tend to spread the flu through the household, and then it continues to spread outward into the community and general population.
Finland recommends universal flu vaccinations for people aged from 6 months to 35 years – so far they are the only country to do so – which enabled the researchers to track and document its success, particularly among infants.