Estimated Influenza Illnesses, Medical visits, and Hospitalizations Averted by Vaccination
For the past several years, CDC has estimated the burden of influenza and the impact of annual influenza vaccination in the United States. CDC finds these estimates using a model that estimates the numbers of flu illnesses, medical visits and hospitalization prevented by vaccination using season-specific data on burden of disease, vaccine coverage and vaccine effectiveness (VE). Variations in these three inputs can impact both the burden of disease and the burden averted by vaccination from season to season. CDC uses the estimates of the burden of influenza in the population and the impact of influenza vaccination to inform policy and communications related to influenza.