— long skeptical of vaccines and

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.NEW YORK (AP) — More U.S. children have died this flu season than at any time since the swine flu pandemic 15 years ago, according to a federal report released Friday.

The 216 pediatric deathsby the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eclipse the 207 reported last year. It’s the most since the 2009-2010 H1N1 global flu pandemic.It’s a startlingly high number, given that the flu season is still going on. The final pediatric death tally for the 2023-2024 flu season wasn’t counted until autumn.

“This number that we have now is almost certainly an undercount, and one that — when the season is declared over, and they compile all the data — it’s almost certain to go up,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, of the American Academy of Pediatrics.There are likely several contributors to this season’s severity, but a big one is that fewer children are getting flu shots, added O’Leary, a University of Colorado pediatric infectious diseases specialist.

The flu vaccination rate for U.S. children has plummeted from about 64% five years ago to 49% this season.

Flu vaccinations may not prevent people from coming down with symptoms, but research shows they are highly effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths, O’Leary said.Collaborations are few and pointed. Shelton and Stefani harmonize beautifully on “Hanging On’"; he does

on “Heaven Sweet Home,” an affecting meditation of mortality. He taps Josh Anderson for the slow-burn closer “Years.”Shelton might live a very different life than the characters found in his songs, as is often true of any larger-than-life celebrity performer. But make no mistake, this is a giant pop country record, with limitless potential for radio ubiquity.

For more AP reviews of recent music releases, visit:▶ Follow live updates on