Flu cases overseas are raising concerns here at home

This morning, flu cases overseas are raising concerns here at home. The flu season in the UK hitting doctors' offices and hospitals one month earlier than usual, with cases three times higher than the same time last year. And in Japan, some schools have been forced to close. The reason? A new variant of the flu strain, the H3N2. We have seen decreasing population-wide vaccination for a variety of reasons. And so you have a more vulnerable population and a more serious strain of the virus. This tells us we could see an increase in cases, hospitalizations and unfortunately deaths. Here in the U.S., a record 280 children died from the flu last season, the highest level since 2009. This year, doctors say the government shutdown is posing an extra challenge, with the CDC not updating its data for weeks. We're starting to see a low rise in places like Georgia and Hawaii. But we're also flying blind because we don't have the same data we once did about flu. So getting that vaccine now to protect against a potentially early flu season is absolutely critical. The vaccine is recommended for everyone over the age of six months. The vaccination rates among children are on the decline, with less than half vaccinated last season, compared to more than 60 percent before the COVID pandemic. Sophie Flay, ABC News, New York.