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Question: How do clinical presentations, healthcare resource utilization, and outcomes differ between children hospitalized with influenza versus coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?
Finding: Patients with influenza were older, were more symptomatic, and required greater healthcare resources, including intravenous fluids, empirical antibiotics, respiratory support, and pediatric intensive care unit admission.
Meaning: Influenza involves greater severity and a higher healthcare burden than COVID-19, highlighting the need for preventive strategies such as vaccination and hospital resource planning during seasonal outbreaks. |