CDC's words, not mine

I am reposting, as their website says I can, some of the CDC's charts and statistics for this flu season. Pay close attention:









For more information or a closer look at these graphs, go to this CDC website.

"There have been 31 influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported to CDC this season [2004--05]."

Keep this in mind when you look at the number of pediatric deaths from last season:

"During the 2003--04 influenza season, 153 pediatric deaths associated with influenza infection were reported from 40 states, whereas only nine such deaths have been reported so far this season [posted in November]." - MMWR Weekly, March 4, 2005

So the pediatric death rate is slashed by 80% during the year there is a vaccine shortage. Hmmm.