NEW YORK – The US flu season is underway Cases are increasing in large parts of the country, health authorities said on Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted a pointy increase in several measures, including laboratory tests and emergency room visits.

RELATED: Why Finland is vaccinating farmers against bird flu – but California isn't – and more information in regards to the spreading virus

Thirteen states reported high or very high numbers of flu-like illnesses last week, about double the extent the week before. One of those is Tennessee, where the Nashville area is experiencing a surge in illness, Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University.

“The flu has been increasing, but just last week it exploded,” Schaffner said. He noted that at a neighborhood clinic, which serves as an indicator of disease trends, as much as 1 / 4 of patients have flu symptoms.

Louisiana is one other early hotspot.

“This week in particular is really the tipping point where people are out with the flu,” Dr. Catherine O'Neal, an infectious disease doctor on the state's largest private hospital, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge. “You hear parents say, 'I can't come to work because of the flu' and 'Where can I get a flu test?'”

Of course, there are a lot of pathogens that cause fever, cough, sore throat and other flu-like symptoms. One of them is COVID-19. Another is RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, which is a typical reason behind cold-like symptoms but could be dangerous for infants and the elderly.

The latest CDC Data show that hospitalizations because of COVID-19 have decreased because the summer. According to CDC wastewater data, COVID-19 activity is moderate nationwide but high within the Midwest.

RSV hospitalizations began rising before the flu and at the moment are showing signs of possible abatement, but remain barely more common than flu admissions. Overall, RSV activity is low nationwide but high within the South, wastewater data show.

The CDC declared the beginning of flu season based on several indicators, including laboratory results from patients in hospitals and doctors' offices and the proportion of emergency room visits that were diagnosed with flu at discharge.

No flu strain appears to be dominant, and it's too early within the season to know the way well the flu vaccine will match it, Budd said.

Last winter's flu season was considered “moderate” overall, nevertheless it was long – 21 weeks – and the CDC estimated the variety of flu-related deaths at 28,000. It was unusually dangerous for kids, with 205 pediatric deaths reported. That was the best number ever reported in a conventional flu season.

The long season was likely an element, Budd said. Another factor was the shortage of flu vaccinations. Of the kids who died who were sufficiently old to get a flu shot – and whose vaccination status was known – 80% weren’t fully vaccinated. accordingly the CDC.

Childhood vaccination rates are even lower this yr. As of Dec. 7, about 41% of adults had received a flu shot, much like the identical time last yr. The percentage is identical for kids, but for them it’s a decrease in comparison with last yr, when 44% were vaccinated against flu, they are saying CDC data.

Vaccination rates against COVID-19 are even lower: about 21% of adults and 11% of kids have already been vaccinated.

Flu experts recommend that everybody get vaccinated, especially if persons are preparing for holiday gatherings where respiratory viruses can spread widely.

“All of these gatherings, which are so heartwarming and fun and joyful, are also an opportunity for this virus to spread from person to person,” Schaffner said. “It’s not too late to get vaccinated.”

Originally published: December 22, 2024 at 7:50 am PST

The Food and Drug Administration approved and granted emergency use authorization for the most recent, updated version of the COVID-19 vaccineThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supported the brand new shot to guard against serious illnesses.

The Summer wave of COVID-19 cases 2024 is an excellent reminder why people have to keep their vaccinations up up to now.

With the onset of the autumn and winter seasons, the same old seasonal respiratory viruses appear, including Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus or RSVwill even increase. There at the moment are vaccines that protect against these viruses.

The conversation asked Epidemiologist Annette Regan to elucidate why authorities are recommending that folks get these vaccinations in the approaching months.

Which strain is the brand new COVID-19 vaccine based on and why?

The COVID-19 vaccine has been updated several times for the reason that first vaccination in 2020-21 to maintain pace with changes within the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

In September 2023, the CDC advisable that everybody get the newly updated vaccine, which was developed to guard against XBB.1.5the variant that was prevalent within the United States this summer, no matter whether or not they had received all advisable vaccinations previously.

Now, in August 2024, the XBB.1.5 variant is not any longer available and has been replaced by the KP.2 and KP.3 variantsthat make up greater than 60% of the currently detected variants.

Moderna and Pfizer have each developed updated formulations of the COVID-19 vaccine that focus on this latest KP.2 variant. It is a monovalent vaccine, meaning it incorporates only the KP.2 strain.

This strain was chosen since it was essentially the most prevalent variant on the time of selection. Even if latest variants comparable to KP.3 emerge, we researchers expect the updated vaccine to guard against the newer strains. For example, the 2023-24 vaccine was developed against the XBB.1.5 strain, and studies showed that it continued protection against the JN.1 variant that got here to light later.

The CDC recommends a Single shot for everybody 6 months and older, with some exceptions. Children ages 6 months to 4 years who haven’t yet received a COVID-19 vaccine will need two or three more doses of the updated 2024-25 vaccine. Adults 65 years and older and youngsters and adults with certain health conditions might have a additional recording in addition to.

People who’ve recently had a SARS-CoV-2 infection may consider: delay their shot for 3 months after the illness, as the chance of re-infection during these months is taken into account low.

How did the updated 2023 vaccine perform?

Recent studies have shown that folks who received the vaccine in 2023-24 had a 54% lower risk of symptomatic COVID-19 disease39 to 51 percent less likely Visit an emergency room or emergency care facility with COVID-19and 50 to 53% less likely with COVID-19 in hospital in comparison with unvaccinated people.

The vaccine was best in individuals who had been vaccinated more recently.

What is the most effective time to take the photos?

COVID-19 Hospital stays And Deaths The number of latest infections has been rising since May 2024, with the very best rates amongst adults 65 and older and infants under 6 months of age, so health experts recommend that folks get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible to guard themselves from severe disease.

Since infants under 6 months usually are not sufficiently old to be vaccinated directly, COVID-19 vaccination while pregnant is the best technique to protect these babies.

When it involves the flu, Cases And Hospital stays appear to rise sharply between November and December. However, in some years, comparable to in Flu season 2022–23They start as early as October.

It's necessary to do not forget that vaccines don't provide immediate protection. It takes your body about two weeks to supply enough antibodies to offer protection. September or early October is an excellent time to get your flu shot to make sure you're protected in time. However, in the event you can't get vaccinated before November, it's necessary to know that it's still an excellent idea to get vaccinated while the flu is circulating.

Is it OK to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu at the identical time?

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and flu at the identical time will definitely make it easier to maintain up with the advisable vaccinations. Data shows that vaccination The combination of flu vaccination and COVID-19 vaccination is protected And effective.

Some vaccine manufacturers are working on Development of a combined influenza/COVID-19 vaccine to scale back the variety of vaccinations required. This vaccine has yet to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but may very well be available soon.

Who should receive the RSV vaccine and when?

RSV is one other common respiratory virus that may cause severe illness in young children and older adults. There are two groups of people that should receive one in every of the three currently available RSV vaccines: adults aged 60 and over and pregnant women. CDC recommends a single dose of either AREXVY from GSK, mRESVIA from Moderna, or ABRYSVO from Pfizer for all adults aged 75 years and over and adults aged 60 to 74 years who’re at increased risk of severe RSV disease.

Unlike COVID-19 and flu vaccines, additional RSV doses usually are not currently advisable because research suggests the vaccine provides protection for not less than two RSV seasonsHowever, these vaccines are relatively latest and more data is required to see how long this protection actually lasts. Additional doses could also be advisable in the longer term.

The CDC recommends only the Pfizer vaccine for ladies 32 to 36 weeks pregnant between September and January. The Pfizer vaccine is the one RSV vaccine that licensed and approved to be used while pregnant.

These vaccines are different from the antibody that will be given to infants at or after birth, called Beyfortus (nirsevimab). The CDC recommends one dose of Nirsevimab for infants younger than 8 months of age who were born during or shortly before their first RSV season. For some children aged 8 to 19 months who’re at increased risk for severe RSV disease, a dose of nirsevimab can also be advisable during their second RSV season.

Both the RSV vaccine and nirsevimab offer protected and effective options for stopping RSV in young children.

Pregnant women should seek the advice of their doctor about which option is best for them.

There are a dizzying variety of Tips, hacks and suggestions about the right way to stay healthy, from Dietary supplements to what Color of clothing promotes optimal well-being. Some of the following tips are helpful and based on good evidence, others usually are not.

However, one among the only, simplest and safest ways to remain healthy isn’t mentioned: vaccination.

we’re a Doctor for preventive medicine And an immunologist who want people to live as healthy a life as possible. Among the various scientifically proven ways to live healthier, we encourage people to eat well, do sports commonlyreceive Good sleep and handle their mental health.

And in relation to your immune system, nothing can replace the necessary role that vaccines play in promoting overall health. The protection that vaccines provide is an irreplaceable a part of living the healthiest possible lifestyle.

Vaccines are essential for health

Some healthy people consider they don't need a vaccine. But your immune system needs greater than only a healthy lifestyle to guard your body from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Imagine the cells of your immune system as athletes preparing for the Olympic Games. Just as athletes undergo rigorous and specialized training to beat every possible challenge they could face of their event, have to be prepared and prepared to fight off any pathogenic challenge you encounter.

Vaccines expose your immune cells to inactivated versions of a pathogen, giving them practice to quickly and accurately recognize and fight the true threat. Vaccines be certain that your immune cells are at their peak performance while you actually face an infection. Just as well-trained athletes can compete with skill and confidence, vaccinated immune cells can quickly and effectively protect your body from disease.

When an individual is unvaccinated and is exposed to a disease they’ve never encountered before, their immune cells are unprepared and must first fight the pathogen, leaving your body vulnerable to serious illness.

Even people in the most effective of health can suffer unnecessarily from Vaccine-preventable diseases because their immune system may not have been well trained. Let us take the story of Austin Bootha healthy and athletic 17-year-old who was not vaccinated against the flu. He died of the disease just days after feeling unwell.

In healthy people, the vaccination can reduce the danger of death of flu by two-thirds. If people decide to skip vaccinations which are really useful as a necessary a part of their overall health, there may be a greater probability of severe complications or death suffer from a vaccine-preventable disease, no matter how healthy they’re. These individuals are playing a potentially life-changing and deadly gamble.

Vaccine-preventable diseases are still common. In the United States, a whole lot of hundreds of adults are hospitalized and hundreds die every year from vaccine-preventable diseases comparable to influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19. And tens of hundreds of adults develop cancer yearly from vaccine-preventable diseases comparable to HPV.

Vaccines are the safest hack for immune health

Many of the most popular health hacks have little to no evidence improving health. Some are even dangerousBut vaccines are one of the vital tried and tested ways to remain healthy.

Vaccines have been used for hundreds of years. Over the past 50 years, they’ve saved an estimated 154 million lives worldwide. Mathematical models estimate that a 25-year-old today 35% higher probability of survival until their next birthday, due to vaccines alone.

Vaccines usually are not only effective, but also protectedYes, vaccines can have mild and limited uncomfortable side effects – who hasn’t felt a bit of sluggish or bumped their arm after being vaccinated? More serious uncomfortable side effects of vaccines are very rare. If you have got any concerns, refer to your doctor. Unlike dietary supplements, trendy health suggestions, and even many over-the-counter medications, robust systems to check and monitor the protection and effectiveness of vaccines.

Among all of the available suggestions to enhance your health, one suggestion is evident: even healthy, fit people need the really useful vaccinations to remain healthy and live well.