As this year’s flu season winds down, new research offers an important takeaway for parents.The flu shot helped protect kids from significant illness during recent, more severe seasons, according to a study in the journal Pediatrics.Researchers reviewed data from nearly 20,000 kids across the U.S.—from infants to teens—between 2021 and 2024.The results: vaccination cut flu-related hospital stays and outpatient visits among children by 34% to 60%. Overall, flu shots were found to be 43% to 69% effective against the three primary strains hitting the U.S. But vaccination rates were lower than expected.Though recent seasons have been more severe, the researchers say only half of the kids, or fewer, received a yearly flu shot.The authors say flu causes serious illness, hospitalizations, and deaths in children each year, and urge pediatricians, parents, and public health leaders to take action.The CDC recommends a yearly flu shot for all children 6 months and older.Source: PediatricsAuthor Affiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Seattle Children’ s Research Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, UCLA, Baylor College of Medicine Texas Children’s Hospital, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Medicine, Children’s Mercy.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter