Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO, FACOFP
Guest: Laura Sass, MD
Pediatric influenza carries a significant clinical burden, with children under four experiencing one of the highest rates of influenza-related illness, healthcare visits, and hospitalization.1,2 Seasonal influenza vaccination remains an evidence-based strategy to reduce illness and severe outcomes, with a well-established safety profile and continued support from leading U.S. health authorities.3,4 Joining Dr. Jennifer Caudle to share her perspective on the importance of influenza vaccination in children is Dr. Laura Sass. Dr. Laura Sass is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Eastern Virginia Medical School and a board-certified Pediatric Infectious Diseases specialist at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
References:
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalizations. Accessed March 31, 2026. https://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/fluview/FluHospChars.html#virusTypeDiv.
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Influenza Activity in the United States during the 2024–25 Season and Composition of the 2025–26 Influenza Vaccine. Accessed March 31, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/whats-new/2025-2026-influenza-activity.html.
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Flu Vaccine Effectiveness for Children and Older Adults. Updated August 14. 2024. Accessed March 31, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/risk-groups/index.html.
- Committee on Infectious Diseases. Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2025-2026: Policy Statement. Pediatrics. 2025;156(6)doi:10.1542/peds.2025-073620