Interim estimates of state-level influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) can help guide timely local public health actions for prevention and treatment of influenza. Linked influenza vaccination and public health influenza surveillance data from California allowed estimation of interim influenza VE by comparing the odds of seasonal influenza vaccination among persons who received positive and negative influenza test results reported to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) using a case-control study design. During October 1, 2025-January 31, 2026, a total of 952,765 influenza laboratory test results were reported to CDPH. These data were analyzed, including results for 86,369 (9%) persons with receipt of a positive influenza test result (case-patients) and 866,396 (91%) with receipt of a negative test result (control patients). Overall, 22% of case-patients and 27% of control patients were vaccinated against influenza. Interim VE against any influenza was 33% for all age groups, 39% for children and adolescents aged 6 months-17 years, and 22% for adults aged ≥65 years; VE was 32% against a positive influenza A test result, and 47% against a positive influenza B test result. These results suggest that influenza vaccination was associated with reduced odds for laboratory-confirmed influenza among children and adults. CDPH recommends annual influenza vaccination for all persons aged ≥6 months to reduce the risk for influenza and influenza-associated adverse health outcomes.
Zhu et al. (2026) studied this question.