Q&A on the News

With all of the flu deaths being reported in Georgia and the U.S., I was wondering what percentage of those deaths were among people who had already received the flu shot. Are there any statistics on that?

—Diane Blum, Atlanta

The information that the Georgia Department of Public Health receives is inconsistent as to whether a deceased individual did or did not have a flu shot, spokeswoman Nancy Nydam told Q&A on the News.

“Due to that, we do not provide any number or percentage because it would not be a fair representation,” she said. “Regardless, our message remains the same that the flu vaccine is the best protection against the flu. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season.”

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokeswoman told Q&A on the News that the CDC only tracks influenza-associated pediatric deaths and does not have information on the vaccination status of older adults who have died. However, based on previous seasons, about 80 percent to 85 percent of children who die because of flu are unvaccinated, according to the CDC.

Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).