Between the beginning of January 2020 and June 14, 2023, of the 1,134,641 deaths caused by COVID-19 in the United States, around 307,169 had occurred among those aged 85 years and older. This statistic shows the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) deaths in the U.S. from January 2020 to June 2023, by age.

Effective June 28, 2023, this dataset will no longer be updated. Similar data are accessible from CDC WONDER (https://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10-provisional.html).

Deaths involving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with a focus on ages 0-18 years in the United States.

As of April 26, 2023, around 27 percent of total COVID-19 deaths in the United States have been among adults 85 years and older, despite this age group only accounting for two percent of the U.S. population. This statistic depicts the distribution of total COVID-19 deaths in the United States as of April 26, 2023, by age group.

In 2023, the leading causes of death for children aged one to four years in the United States were unintentional injuries and congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities. At that time, around 31 percent of all deaths among these children were caused by unintentional injuries. Differences in causes of death among children by age Just as unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among children aged one to four, it is also the leading cause of death for the age groups five to nine and 10 to 14. However, congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities account for fewer deaths as children become older, while the share of deaths caused by cancer is higher among those aged five to nine and 10 to 14. In fact, cancer is the second leading cause of death among five to nine-year-olds, accounting for around 16 percent of all deaths. Sadly, the second leading cause of death among children aged 10 to 14 is intentional self-harm, with 14 percent of all deaths among those in this age group caused by suicide. Leading causes of death in the United States The leading causes of death in the United States are heart disease and malignant neoplasms. Together, these two diseases accounted for around 42 percent of all deaths in the United States in 2023. In 2023, the lifetime odds that the average person in the United States would die from heart disease was one in six, while the odds for cancer were one in seven.

Data for CDC’s COVID Data Tracker site on Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status. Click 'More' for important dataset description and footnotes

Dataset and data visualization details: These data were posted on October 21, 2022, archived on November 18, 2022, and revised on February 22, 2023. These data reflect cases among persons with a positive specimen collection date through September 24, 2022, and deaths among persons with a positive specimen collection date through September 3, 2022.

Vaccination status: A person vaccinated with a primary series had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen collected ≥14 days after verifiably completing the primary series of an FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. An unvaccinated person had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen and has not been verified to have received COVID-19 vaccine. Excluded were partially vaccinated people who received at least one FDA-authorized vaccine dose but did not complete a primary series ≥14 days before collection of a specimen where SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen was detected. Additional or booster dose: A person vaccinated with a primary series and an additional or booster dose had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen collected ≥14 days after receipt of an additional or booster dose of any COVID-19 vaccine on or after August 13, 2021. For people ages 18 years and older, data are graphed starting the week including September 24, 2021, when a COVID-19 booster dose was first recommended by CDC for adults 65+ years old and people in certain populations and high risk occupational and institutional settings. For people ages 12-17 years, data are graphed starting the week of December 26, 2021, 2 weeks after the first recommendation for a booster dose for adolescents ages 16-17 years. For people ages 5-11 years, data are included starting the week of June 5, 2022, 2 weeks after the first recommendation for a booster dose for children aged 5-11 years. For people ages 50 years and older, data on second booster doses are graphed starting the week including March 29, 2022, when the recommendation was made for second boosters. Vertical lines represent dates when changes occurred in U.S. policy for COVID-19 vaccination (details provided above). Reporting is by primary series vaccine type rather than additional or booster dose vaccine type. The booster dose vaccine type may be different than the primary series vaccine type. ** Because data on the immune status of cases and associated deaths are unavailable, an additional dose in an immunocompromised person cannot be distinguished from a booster dose. This is a relevant consideration because vaccines can be less effective in this group. Deaths: A COVID-19–associated death occurred in a person with a documented COVID-19 diagnosis who died; health department staff reviewed to make a determination using vital records, public health investigation, or other data sources. Rates of COVID-19 deaths by vaccination status are reported based on when the patient was tested for COVID-19, not the date they died. Deaths usually occur up to 30 days after COVID-19 diagnosis. Participating jurisdictions: Currently, these 31 health departments that regularly link their case surveillance to immunization information system data are included in these incidence rate estimates: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, New York City (New York), North Carolina, Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia; 30 jurisdictions also report deaths among vaccinated and unvaccinated people. These jurisdictions represent 72% of the total U.S. population and all ten of the Health and Human Services Regions. Data on cases

Data for CDC’s COVID Data Tracker site on Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status. Click 'More' for important dataset description and footnotes

Dataset and data visualization details: These data were posted on October 21, 2022, archived on November 18, 2022, and revised on February 22, 2023. These data reflect cases among persons with a positive specimen collection date through September 24, 2022, and deaths among persons with a positive specimen collection date through September 3, 2022.

Vaccination status: A person vaccinated with a primary series had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen collected ≥14 days after verifiably completing the primary series of an FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. An unvaccinated person had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen and has not been verified to have received COVID-19 vaccine. Excluded were partially vaccinated people who received at least one FDA-authorized vaccine dose but did not complete a primary series ≥14 days before collection of a specimen where SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen was detected. Additional or booster dose: A person vaccinated with a primary series and an additional or booster dose had SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen detected on a respiratory specimen collected ≥14 days after receipt of an additional or booster dose of any COVID-19 vaccine on or after August 13, 2021. For people ages 18 years and older, data are graphed starting the week including September 24, 2021, when a COVID-19 booster dose was first recommended by CDC for adults 65+ years old and people in certain populations and high risk occupational and institutional settings. For people ages 12-17 years, data are graphed starting the week of December 26, 2021, 2 weeks after the first recommendation for a booster dose for adolescents ages 16-17 years. For people ages 5-11 years, data are included starting the week of June 5, 2022, 2 weeks after the first recommendation for a booster dose for children aged 5-11 years. For people ages 50 years and older, data on second booster doses are graphed starting the week including March 29, 2022, when the recommendation was made for second boosters. Vertical lines represent dates when changes occurred in U.S. policy for COVID-19 vaccination (details provided above). Reporting is by primary series vaccine type rather than additional or booster dose vaccine type. The booster dose vaccine type may be different than the primary series vaccine type. ** Because data on the immune status of cases and associated deaths are unavailable, an additional dose in an immunocompromised person cannot be distinguished from a booster dose. This is a relevant consideration because vaccines can be less effective in this group. Deaths: A COVID-19–associated death occurred in a person with a documented COVID-19 diagnosis who died; health department staff reviewed to make a determination using vital records, public health investigation, or other data sources. Rates of COVID-19 deaths by vaccination status are reported based on when the patient was tested for COVID-19, not the date they died. Deaths usually occur up to 30 days after COVID-19 diagnosis. Participating jurisdictions: Currently, these 31 health departments that regularly link their case surveillance to immunization information system data are included in these incidence rate estimates: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, New York City (New York), North Carolina, Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia; 30 jurisdictions also report deaths among vaccinated and unvaccinated people. These jurisdictions represent 72% of the total U.S. population and all ten of the Health and Human Services Regions. Data on cases

Effective September 27, 2023, this dataset will no longer be updated. Similar data are accessible from wonder.cdc.gov.

Deaths involving COVID-19, pneumonia, and influenza reported to NCHS by sex, age group, and jurisdiction of occurrence.

As of March 10, 2023, there have been 1.1 million deaths related to COVID-19 in the United States. There have been 101,159 deaths in the state of California, more than any other state in the country – California is also the state with the highest number of COVID-19 cases.

The vaccine rollout in the U.S. Since the start of the pandemic, the world has eagerly awaited the arrival of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. In the United States, the immunization campaign started in mid-December 2020 following the approval of a vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. As of March 22, 2023, the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the U.S. had reached roughly 673 million. The states with the highest number of vaccines administered are California, Texas, and New York.

Vaccines achieved due to work of research groups Chinese authorities initially shared the genetic sequence to the novel coronavirus in January 2020, allowing research groups to start studying how it invades human cells. The surface of the virus is covered with spike proteins, which enable it to bind to human cells. Once attached, the virus can enter the cells and start to make people ill. These spikes were of particular interest to vaccine manufacturers because they hold the key to preventing viral entry.

BackgroundThe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic remains a critical global health concern, with older adults being the most vulnerable group. Nonetheless, it is crucial to recognize that COVID-19 has caused numerous deaths in children worldwide. Emerging evidence indicates that infants and breastfeeding children, particularly those aged below one year, face a greater risk of hospitalization and mortality than older children with COVID-19.ObjectiveThis study aimed to describe the epidemiology of COVID-19 among children during the early phase of the pandemic in Ecuador.MethodsWe conducted a country-wide population-based analysis of the epidemiology of COVID-19, using incidence and mortality data reported from Ecuador between February 15, 2020 and May 14 2021. Measurements of frequency, central tendency, dispersion, and absolute differences were calculated for all categorical and continuous variables.ResultsAt least 34,001 cases (23,587 confirmed cases, 5,315 probable and 5,099 suspected) and 258 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported among children in Ecuador during the first 16 months of the pandemic. The overall incidence rate was 612 cases per 100,000 children, the mortality rate was 3 per 100,000, while the case fatality rate was 0.76%. The highest risk group for infection was children and adolescents between 15 and 19 years of age; however, the highest mortality rate occurred in children under one year of age. The largest provinces, such as Pichincha, Guavas and Manabí, were the ones that reported the highest number of cases, 27%, 12.1% and 10.8%, respectively.ConclusionsThis study is the first to report on COVID-19 epidemics among children in Ecuador. Our findings reveal that younger children have a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, but a higher risk of mortality compared to older children and adolescents. Additionally, we observed significant disparities in infection rates and outcomes among children living in rural areas, those with comorbidities, and those from indigenous ethnic groups.

As of January 11, 2023, the highest number of deaths due to the coronavirus in Sweden was among individuals aged 80 to 90 years old. In this age group there were 9,124 deaths as a result of the virus. The overall Swedish death toll was 22,645 as of January 11, 2023.

The first case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Sweden was confirmed on February 4, 2020. The number of cases has since risen to over 2.68 million, as of January 2023. For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.

Information discussed between parents and children provide a foundation for children's developing understanding of health and illness. Parents of 3-to-7-year-old children (N = 516, 62% female, 78% White) residing in the United States were recruited using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk during July 29th– August 10th, 2020. We asked parents to report three questions that their children had asked about the COVID-19 pandemic and asked them to report how they responded to those questions. Children’s questions focused on lifestyle changes (22%), while parental responses were often about the virus (23%). We examined the stability of content of children’s questions and parental responses between the first peak and second peak of infection and death rates due to COVID-19 in the United States. The topic of children’s questions and the types of parental responses shifted between the two peaks, such that parents during the second peak of the pandemic reported their children asking more frequently about the virus and preventive measures than children in the first peak. Meanwhile, parents during the second peak of infection and death rates were more focused on responding to their children’s questions with information about the virus. We used Latent Class Analysis to explore overall patterns in children’s questions and parents’ responses. For children’s questions, three latent classes were obtained: (1) the virus [39%], (2) the virus/lifestyle changes [21%], and (3) lifestyle changes/preventive measures [40%]. For parents’ responses three latent classes were found: (1) the virus/self-protection [54%], (2) reassurance/the virus [28%], and (3) simple yes/no answers without further explanation [17%]. These results suggest that children’s questions and parental responses can be captured in terms of a discrete number of latent classes.

Context

I wanted to see if there is some correlation with covid-19 mortality and other parameters

Content

The data is collected from the World Bank data sets. These features were collected: 'Gross domestic product 2019 (millions of US dollars)' 'Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people)' 'Immunization, HepB3 (% of one-year-old children)' 'Immunization, Hib3 (% of children ages 12-23 months)' 'Immunization, BCG (% of one-year-old children)' 'Immunization, DPT (% of children ages 12-23 months)' 'Immunization, measles (% of children ages 12-23 months)' 'Immunization, Pol3 (% of one-year-old children)' 'Community health workers (per 1,000 people)' 'Nurses and midwives (per 1,000 people)' 'Physicians (per 1,000 people)' 'Incidence of malaria (per 1,000 population at risk)' 'Smoking prevalence, total, ages 15+' 'Number of surgical procedures (per 100,000 population)' 'People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water (% of population)' 'Incidence of tuberculosis (per 100,000 people)' 'Increase in poverty gap at $1.90 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line due to out-of-pocket health care expenditure (USD)' 'Increase in poverty gap at $1.90 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line due to out-of-pocket health care expenditure (% of poverty line)' 'Increase in poverty gap at $3.20 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line due to out-of-pocket health care expenditure (USD)' 'Increase in poverty gap at $3.20 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line due to out-of-pocket health care expenditure (% of poverty line)' 'External health expenditure per capita (current US$)' 'Domestic general government health expenditure (% of GDP)' 'Domestic general government health expenditure (% of general government expenditure)' 'Domestic general government health expenditure per capita (current US$)' 'Domestic private health expenditure (% of current health expenditure)' 'Domestic private health expenditure per capita (current US$)' 'International migrant stock (% of population)' 'Number of people who are undernourished' 'Life expectancy at birth, total (years)' 'Population ages 65 and above, total' 'Population, total' 'Surface area (sq km)' 'Urban population (% of total population)' 'Adequacy of social insurance programs (% of total welfare of beneficiary households)']

Acknowledgements

We wouldn't be here without the help of others. If you owe any attributions or thanks, include them here along with any citations of past research.

Inspiration

Is it possible to find more explanations on the sometimes strange differences between different countries regarding covid-19 infections and death cases

Rank, number of deaths, percentage of deaths, and age-specific mortality rates for the leading causes of death, by age group and sex, 2000 to most recent year.

As of May 2, 2023, of 34,206 COVID-19 cases deceased in Canada, around 4,058 were aged 60 to 69 years. This statistic shows the number of COVID-19 deaths in Canada as of May 2, 2023, by age.

Variety of data files supporting CDC vaccination dashboards, downloaded 2.4.25. Includes weekly vaccination data for children, adults;COVID vaccination coverage overall and for pregnant women, nursing home residents, adults;Laboratory-confirmed RSV, COVID-19, and flu hospitalizations (source: RESPNet);Deaths from COVID-19, influenza, and RSV overall, by state, by race and ethnicity;ED visits with COVID-19, influenza, RSV, by demographics;NIS-ACM data on COVID-19 for adults (source:RespVaxView);Cumulative COVID-19 vaccination by age, jurisdictionCDC wastewater surviellance data tablesFluView Phase 2 Data***For CDC Covid-19 Nursing Home Data:Microdata: YesLevel of Analysis: Nursing HomesVariables Present: YesFile Layout: .csvCodebook: Yes Methods: YesWeights (with appropriate documentation): NoPublications: NoAggregate Data: No***For CDC NHSN Report State HCP Influenza Vaccination:Microdata: NoLevel of Analysis: StateVariables Present: YesFile Layout: N/ACodebook: NoMethods: YesWeights (with appropriate documentation): NoPublications: NoAggregate Data: No***For CDC Adult Covid NIS-ACM RespVax Data: Microdata: YesLevel of Analysis: Local - county, cityVariables Present: YesFile Layout: .csvCodebook: YesMethods: YesWeights (with appropriate documentation): YesPublications: NoAggregate Data: No***For NSSP Emergency Department Visits - COVID-19, Flu, etc. Microdata: YesLevel of Analysis: AilmentsVariables Present: YesFile Layout: .csvCodebook: NoMethods: Yes (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19Po9Ir57Q-81Q5DfE1yKnW9NDLHXqPXc2307QY1hq24/edit?gid=1803019...) Weights (with appropriate documentation): NoPublications: NoAggregate Data: Yes***For CDC Percentage of Emergency Department Visits with Diagnosed COVID-19 in US:Microdata: YesLevel of Analysis: Demographic GroupsVariables Present: YesFile Layout: .csvCodebook: NoMethods: Yes (https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/ncird/surveillance/respiratory-illnesses/index.html)Weights (with appropriate documentation): NoPublications: NoAggregate Data: Yes***CDC Provisional COVID-19, Flu, and Pneumonia Death Counts:Microdata: YesLevel of Analysis: State, Demographic GroupsVariables Present: YesFile Layout: .csvCodebook: Yes (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm)Methods: YesWeights (with appropriate documentation): NoPublications: NoAggregate Data: No***For CDC Rates of Laboratory Confirmed RSV, Covid Hospitalizations:Microdata: YesLevel of Analysis: Weekly Rates by StateVariables Present: YesFile Layout: .csvCodebook: YesMethods: YesWeights (with appropriate documentation): NoPublications: NoAggregate Data: No***For CDC Vaccination Rates Among Adults 18 Years and Older :Microdata: YesLevel of Analysis: Yearly State Rate by Demographic Variables Present: YesFile Layout: .csvCodebook: YesMethods: Yes https://www.cdc.gov/adultvaxview/publications-resources/vaccination-coverage-adults-2021.html Weights (with appropriate documentation): NoPublications: NoAggregate Data: No***For CDC Vaccination Rates Among Pregnant Women:Microdata: YesLevel of Analysis: Percent Vaccinated Per Year by Demographic Type and Vaccination StatusVariables Present: YesFile Layout: .csvCodebook: YesMethods: Yes https://www.cdc.gov/fluvaxview/coverage-by-season/pregnant-april-2024.htmlWeights (with appropriate documentation): NoPublications: NoAggregate Data: Yes***For CDC Weekly Cum. COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage by Season, Race and Ethnicity, Medicare FFS aged 65+:Microdata: YesLevel of Analysis: Demographic Groups Variables Present: YesFile Layout: .csvCodebook: Yes https://data.cdc.gov/Vaccinations/Weekly-Cumulative-COVID-19-Vaccination-Coverage-an/ksfb-ug5d/about...Methods: Yes (above link)Weights (with appropriate documentation): NoPublications: NoAggregate Data: Yes***CDC Weekly Cum. Est No COVID-19 Vax Admin in Pharmacy...:Microdata: YesLevel of Analysis: National (delineated by Age Group)Variables Present: Yes - separate document https://data.cdc.gov/Vaccinations/Weekly-Cumulative-Estimated-Number-of-COVID-19-Vac/ewpg-rz7g/about...File Layout: .csvCodebook: Yes (see above link)Methods: Yes (see above link)Weights (with appropriate documentation): NoPublications: NoAggregate Data: No***CDC Weekly Cum. Doses (in millions) of Influenza Vaccinations...:Microdata: YesLevel of Analysis: National Variables Present: Yes Fi

As of 2023, the third leading cause of death among teenagers aged 15 to 19 years in the United States was intentional self-harm or suicide, contributing to around 17 percent of deaths among this age group. The leading cause of death at that time was unintentional injuries, contributing to around 38.6 percent of deaths, while 20.7 percent of all deaths in this age group were due to assault or homicide. Cancer and heart disease, the overall leading causes of death in the United States, are also among the leading causes of death among U.S. teenagers. Adolescent suicide in the United States In 2021, around 22 percent of students in grades 9 to 12 reported that they had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. Female students were around twice as likely to report seriously considering suicide compared to male students. In 2023, New Mexico had the highest rate of suicides among U.S. teenagers, with around 28 deaths per 100,000 teenagers, followed by Idaho with a rate of 22.5 per 100,000. The states with the lowest death rates among adolescents are New Jersey and New York. Mental health treatment Suicidal thoughts are a clear symptom of mental health issues. Mental health issues are not rare among children and adolescents, and treatment for such issues has become increasingly accepted and accessible. In 2021, around 15 percent of boys and girls aged 5 to 17 years had received some form of mental health treatment in the past year. At that time, around 35 percent of youths aged 12 to 17 years in the United States who were receiving specialty mental health services were doing so because they had thought about killing themselves or had already tried to kill themselves.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the global death rate, reaching *** in 2021, but had little to no significant impact on birth rates, causing population growth to dip slightly. On a global level, population growth is determined by the difference between the birth and death rates, known as the rate of natural change. On a national or regional level, migration also affects population change. Ongoing trends Since the middle of the 20th century, the global birth rate has been well above the global death rate; however, the gap between these figures has grown closer in recent years. The death rate is projected to overtake the birth rate in the 2080s, which means that the world's population will then go into decline. In the future, death rates will increase due to ageing populations across the world and a plateau in life expectancy. Why does this change? There are many reasons for the decline in death and birth rates in recent decades. Falling death rates have been driven by a reduction in infant and child mortality, as well as increased life expectancy. Falling birth rates were also driven by the reduction in child mortality, whereby mothers would have fewer children as survival rates rose - other factors include the drop in child marriage, improved contraception access and efficacy, and women choosing to have children later in life.

The burden of influenza in the United States can vary from year to year depending on which viruses are circulating, how many people receive an influenza vaccination, and how effective the vaccination is in that particular year. During the 2023-2024 flu season, around 28,000 people lost their lives to the disease. Although most people recover from influenza without needing medical care, the disease can be deadly among young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Deaths due to influenza Even though most people recover from influenza without medical care, influenza and pneumonia can be deadly, especially for older people and those with certain preexisting conditions. Influenza is a common cause of pneumonia and although most cases of influenza do not develop into pneumonia, those that do are often more severe and more deadly. Deaths due to influenza are most common among the elderly, with a mortality rate of around 32 per 100,000 population during the 2023-2024 flu season. In comparison, the mortality rate for those aged 50 to 64 years was 9.1 per 100,000 population. Flu vaccinations The most effective way to prevent influenza is to receive an annual influenza vaccination. These vaccines have proven to be safe and are usually cheap and easily accessible. Nevertheless, every year a large share of the population in the United States still fails to get vaccinated against influenza. For example, in the 2022-2023 flu season, only 35 percent of those aged 18 to 49 years received a flu vaccination. Unsurprisingly, children and the elderly are the most likely to get vaccinated. It is estimated that during the 2022-2023 flu season, vaccinations prevented over 929 thousand influenza cases among children aged 6 months to 4 years.

In 2024, around 1,185 petitions were filed with the United States National Injury Compensation Program (VICP) seeking compensation for injury or death caused by vaccines. However, just because a petition was filed seeking compensation for injury or death due to a vaccination does not mean that compensation was awarded. Over half of all such petitions filed in the U.S. since 1988 have been dismissed, and in 60 percent of cases in which compensation was awarded it was still not determined whether the alleged vaccine caused the alleged injury. The impact of vaccinations Vaccinations in the United States have had a significant impact on infectious diseases. For example, as of 2017, there are only about 120 new cases of measles per year, compared to over half a million annual cases before the use of vaccination. Vaccinations in the U.S. have also greatly decreased the number of annual cases of hepatitis A and B, rubella, and tetanus. COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy Vaccine hesitancy is a persistent issue in the United States. The issue became especially pertinent during the COVID-19 pandemic in which many people in the United States expressed reluctance to getting a COVID-19 vaccination. In December 2020, 59 percent of adults in the United States who stated they would definitely not or probably not get a COVID-19 vaccine said so because they were worried about possible side effects, while 55 percent said they probably wouldn’t get a COVID-19 vaccination because they do not trust the government to make sure the vaccine is safe and effective. Shockingly, one survey found that even 29 percent of health care workers stated they would probably or definitely not get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Influenza, also called the flu, is one of the most infectious diseases worldwide. Its symptoms range from mild to severe, and include sore throat, cough, runny nose, fever, headache, and muscle pain, but can also cause severe illness and death among high-risk populations such as the elderly and children. During the 2023-2024 flu season, there were 40 million cases of influenza in the United States. Influenza deaths Although influenza does not require medical attention for most people, it can be deadly, and causes thousands of deaths every year. The impact of influenza varies from year to year. The number of influenza deaths during the 2023-2024 flu season was 27,965. The vast majority of deaths attributed to influenza during the 2023-2024 flu season occurred among those aged 65 years and older. Vaccination An annual influenza vaccination remains the most effective way of preventing influenza. During the 2022-2023 flu season, influenza vaccinations prevented an estimated 2,479 deaths among U.S. adults aged 65 years and older. Although, flu vaccinations are accessible and cheap, a large share of the United States population still fails to get vaccinated every year. In 2022-2023, only 35 percent of those aged 18 to 49 years received a flu vaccination, much lower compared to children and the elderly.