One in three parents believe it is more important for their child to get flu vaccine this year
Mott Children's Hospital’s National Poll on Children's Health in August found that of parent with children ages two to 18, one-third (34 percent) believe that having children get flu vaccine is more important this year compared to other years, reported the hospital.
Additionally, eight percent say it is less important, and 58 percent say it is about the same. Parents who believe flu vaccine is more important this year are more likely to intend for their child to get the vaccine (94 percent more important versus 55 percent same/less important).
Two-thirds of parents intend to have their child get flu vaccine this year (49 percent very likely and 19 percent likely). Parental intention regarding flu vaccine this year is slightly lower for parents of teens compared to younger children (73 percent for two to four years, 70 percent for five to 12 years, and 65 percent for 13 to 18 years).
Among parents who said their child got flu vaccine last year, nearly all (96 percent) intend to have their child get flu vaccine this year. In contrast, among parents whose child did not get flu vaccine last year, only 28 percent say their child is likely to get flu vaccine this year.
Only 44 percent of parents say their child's regular health care provider strongly recommends that their child get flu vaccine this year, and 23 percent say the provider recommends it; one-third of parents do not recall a provider recommending their child get flu vaccine this year. Among parents who report their child's provider strongly recommends flu vaccine this year, 92 percent intend for their child to be vaccinated, compared to 62 percent of those whose provider recommends and 40percent who do not recall a provider recommendation to get flu vaccine this year.
Among the 32 percent of parents who say their child is unlikely to get flu vaccine this year, the most common reasons include concerns about side effects from flu vaccine (42 percent) and belief that flu vaccine is not necessary (40 percent) or effective (32 percent). Fourteen percent will not seek flu vaccine because they are keeping children away from healthcare sites due to COVID; nine percent say their child is afraid of needles or does not want to get flu vaccine.
Among parents who will not seek flu vaccine for their child this year, one in seven say they are keeping their child away from healthcare sites due to concerns about COVID. Less than half of parents say their child's regular healthcare provider strongly recommends flu vaccination this year.
Public health experts have emphasized the particular importance of flu vaccination during the COVID pandemic as a tool to limit the stress on health care systems. This includes reducing the number of influenza-related hospitalizations and doctor visits and decreasing the need for diagnostic tests to distinguish influenza from COVID. Children should get flu vaccine to protect themselves and to prevent the spread of influenza to family members and others.
A key challenge for public health officials is how to reach parents who do not seek annual flu vaccination for their child. In this poll, among parents whose child did not get flu vaccine last year, only 28 percent indicated their child is likely to get flu vaccine this year. When annual flu vaccination is not a pattern, parents need to be prompted to think about why their child needs flu vaccine, and when and where to get it.
Typically, child health providers guide parents on what vaccines children should receive, yet less than half of parents indicated their child’s doctor strongly recommends flu vaccine for this year. Some providers focus their discussion on the specific vaccines that will be given during that day’s office visit; this works well for vaccines given on an age-based timeframe, but precludes discussion of flu vaccine for children who are not scheduled for office visits during flu vaccine season. This poll indicates that child health providers may need to give proactive guidance about flu vaccine during visits in the spring and summer.
Another barrier is the impact of COVID on the healthcare delivery system. Many practices have limited in-person visits, with increased use of telehealth. These changes in care may reduce the amount of time that parents spend talking with the provider and staff, impeding their ability to ask questions about flu vaccine safety and effectiveness, which are significant concerns for many parents.
For some parents, COVID also has a negative impact on their willingness to bring their child to a healthcare setting - for flu vaccine or other services - due to concerns about being exposed to COVID. Most child health providers have made changes in their office environment and protocols to keep children and parents safe when they come in for office visits or vaccines. Some practices are even offering drive-through vaccination. Parents who are concerned about COVID exposure should contact their child's provider to learn about what types of precautions have been put in place.
