Dallas County reports first pediatric flu death of 2022
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas County Health & Human Services has reported its first pediatric flu death this year.
A source told CBS 11 the child was an infant. It's is the first child flu death since 2019 in Dallas County.
Federal health officials are warning flu cases are the highest they've been in a decade.
Last month, children's health leaders requested a formal emergency declaration from the federal government to support hospitals and communities amid an "alarming surge" including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza.
Also in November, Christian Grisales with Dallas County Health and Human Services told CBS 11: "This is something that isn't going to go away just by not doing something, by not taking action. That's why we are doubling down our efforts to bring the vaccine to the community."
The Dallas County Medical Society said the outbreak is getting worse because too many North Texans are now refusing flu shots for the same reason they avoided COVID vaccines.
"I think the COVID hesitancy and then the frustration with multiple COVID vaccines, I think that's bled over into the flu shot, who every year have consistently gotten their flu show some of them have either not gotten around to it or maybe gotten complacent about it," said Dr. Beth Kassanoff-Piper with the Dallas County Medical Society.
Kassanoff-Pipe said another reason many North Texans are getting the flu due to sick people going out in public and to work.
"People are not staying home if they don't feel well, they either assume what they have has allergies or they feel like they've missed out on too much fun over the last couple of years and they are going to go out even if they are not feeling great."