Jakarta. Children are more vulnerable to influenza than adults, with those under five — particularly infants and toddlers — facing a higher risk of severe illness and hospitalization, according to an Indonesian pediatrician.

The warning comes as influenza continues to circulate in Indonesia. The Health Ministry reported that 86 of 185 specimens tested during epidemiological week 36 were positive for influenza, including 76 cases of influenza A (H1N1)pdm09, eight of A (H3N2), and two of influenza B (Victoria).

The ministry’s influenza and COVID-19 surveillance report, covering data through Sept. 19, said the samples were collected from 13 regional public health laboratories, nine hospitals, and the Health Biology Laboratory. It cautioned that data from recent weeks remain provisional and could change.

The influenza A (H3N2) subclade K, which has been widely dubbed “Super Flu,” has been detected in 13 provinces, with 76 cases recorded cumulatively since January 2026, led by East Java and South Kalimantan with 18 cases each, followed by West Java with 12 and Jakarta with 11.

Prof. Dr. Anggraini Alam, a member of the Indonesian Pediatric Society’s (IDAI) Coordinating Working Unit for Tropical Infectious Diseases, said children face greater exposure to airborne viruses because of their environments and still-developing immune systems.

Children may also be more exposed to respiratory droplets and fine particles released when adults speak, cough or sneeze because of their shorter height, Anggraini said.

“Children are still shorter than adults. When adults speak, sneeze, or cough, children are the ones who inhale all those fine particles. As a result, children are at a higher risk of infection,” Anggraini said in Jakarta, as quoted by Antara.

Infants Face Higher Risk

Children under five are among the groups most vulnerable to influenza, particularly those who spend time in daycare centers or other crowded, poorly ventilated environments.

Children with neurological or developmental disorders may also face higher risks, as may those living in long-term care facilities or densely populated settings.

Anggraini said children’s developing immune systems can make them more susceptible to infection. Unlike adults, children have also had less exposure to different viruses, meaning their immune systems have encountered fewer pathogens.

Children may also remain infectious for longer after contracting influenza, she said. Prolonged viral shedding can similarly occur in people with weakened immune systems.

Anggraini said about 5% of children with influenza require hospitalization. Of those hospitalized, around 80% are under two years old, while about half are infants younger than six months.

Symptoms Can Develop Quickly

Influenza can cause symptoms including a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, fever, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Children may also experience muscle aches and other body pain, while some can take several weeks to fully recover.

The virus can spread through respiratory particles released when an infected person speaks, coughs, or sneezes. Crowded indoor settings such as daycare centers and health facilities can therefore facilitate transmission, particularly when ventilation is poor.

Influenza viruses can also contaminate surfaces, making regular handwashing and cleaning frequently touched surfaces important measures for reducing transmission.

For young children, particularly infants, reducing influenza transmission therefore involves more than individual immunity. Ventilation, crowding, hand hygiene, and cleanliness in the environments where children spend time can all play a role in limiting the spread of the virus.

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