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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Young U.S. Children: A Socioeconomic

Tawny Saleh1, Mina Shirazi2, Mary C Cambou3

  • 1Department of Medicine and Preventive Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

COVID
|July 18, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Childhood influenza vaccination coverage in the U.S. significantly declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for young children and minority groups. Targeted strategies are needed to improve vaccine uptake and address disparities.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Immunization Practices

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted healthcare systems, affecting routine medical services like childhood immunizations in the United States.
  • Understanding trends in influenza vaccination among young children before and during the pandemic is crucial for public health.
  • Assessing disparities in vaccine access and uptake is essential for equitable healthcare delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze trends in influenza vaccination coverage among children aged 5 years or younger in the U.S. from 2019 to 2022.
  • To identify demographic, socioeconomic, and regional predictors of influenza vaccination uptake in young children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • To highlight disparities in childhood influenza vaccination rates and inform targeted public health interventions.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationally representative U.S. population survey.
  • Employed logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of influenza vaccination.
  • Analyzed age-specific and regional trends in vaccination coverage.

Main Results:

  • Influenza vaccination coverage among children ≤ 5 years decreased from 56% in 2019 to 46% in 2022.
  • Significant declines were observed across all age groups, including infants and toddlers.
  • African American children and uninsured children showed lower vaccination odds, while Asian children had higher odds compared to non-Hispanic White children.

Conclusions:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing disparities in childhood influenza vaccination.
  • Targeted interventions are necessary to address socioeconomic and racial/ethnic inequities in vaccine access and uptake.
  • Improving influenza vaccine coverage in young children requires tailored strategies focusing on vulnerable populations and regions with low uptake.

Keywords:
COVID-19 pandemicchildreninfluenza vaccinationpublic health strategiessocioeconomic disparities

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