Study: Flu Shots for Kids Protect Everyone

Vaccinating children can sharply reduce the risk of catching the flu in a whole community, new research finds. The study focused on people who follow the Hutterite faith in Canada. Hutterites live in small, isolated farming colonies of 80 to 120 people. Researchers focused on 46 colonies. They were randomly assigned to receive either flu shots or hepatitis A shots. Children, ages 3 through 15, got the shots in the fall of 2008. About 80% of the children received the shots. During the fall and winter, nurses visited the colonies. They tested people with flu-like symptoms to see if they had flu. Rates of flu were 60% lower in colonies that got flu shots. Researchers said “herd immunity” protected them. Children usually play a big role in spreading flu. But the children were vaccinated, so fewer cases occurred. The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association.