Total: 45 Children Have Died from the Flu this Season

Following reports of the ineffectiveness of the flu vaccine, the death toll from influenza has continued to rise since the recent flu season began in the fall of 2014.  The Centers for Disease Control recently announced 19 more children have died in recent weeks bringing to the total to 45 children.

This flu season is particularly bad, with the flu vaccine reportedly only effective in 23% of cases. During a normal year, that rate goes up around 50-60%. CBS Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook says that is the second worst track record for the flu in a decade.

Last week, the CDC released data showing that “high levels of flu-like illness were reported in 24 states.”

Adults age 65 and over are at higher risk of serious complications from the flu, and that age group has had by far the highest rate of hospitalizations this flu season. The CDC says 93 percent of those hospitalized with the flu had at least one underlying medical condition, most commonly metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Nevertheless, the flu vaccine does offer some level of protection and health officials continue to recommend people get vaccinated.

The CDC also recommends antiviral medications like Tamiflu can help. In some cases, these drugs can reduce the duration of the flu and reduce symptoms of the virus.