Flu circumstances are hovering in New York and choosing up in different elements of the nation. Specialists fear it will likely be one other dangerous season. COVID and RSV have been much less of an issue, however they’re additionally on the rise.
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
It is the vacation season. And with apologies to Andy Williams, it is also the season for sniffles and croupy coughs. Here is NPR well being correspondent Rob Stein.
ROB STEIN, BYLINE: The flu, COVID-19, RSV. They’re all on the rise once more. However Alicia Budd, an epidemiologist on the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, says the flu is admittedly main the pack. The flu season began a few weeks sooner than normal and is now ramping up massive time.
ALICIA BUDD: We’re seeing seasonal influenza growing in most areas of the nation proper now. We’re seeing flu-associated outpatient visits, emergency division visits, hospitalizations and even, to some extent, influenza-associated deaths all growing at this level.
STEIN: A number of states – New York, Louisiana, Colorado – are already getting slammed, and a few consultants fear the U.S. could also be in for an additional dangerous flu season. Andrew Pekosz research respiratory viruses at Johns Hopkins.
ANDREW PEKOSZ: It’s extremely tough to foretell the flu season, however proper now we’re initially of what we in all probability are going to see is a reasonably extreme influenza season.
STEIN: That will be stunning for the reason that final flu season was dangerous, the worst in a couple of decade. A record-breaking 288 youngsters died, and it is uncommon to have back-to-back dangerous flu years. However the southern hemisphere had a extreme flu season this yr, and that is typically a harbinger for the Northern Hemisphere. Actually, the flu is already hitting different elements of the Northern Hemisphere, just like the U.Ok., actually exhausting now, too. Here is Alicia Budd from the CDC once more.
BUDD: Simply because we had a extreme season final yr doesn’t suggest that we cannot this yr.
STEIN: And that is not all. The dominant flu pressure lately mutated, serving to the virus evade the immune system and unfold extra simply. This so-called subclade Ok virus does not seem to make folks sicker. However the extra simply a virus spreads, the extra folks get sick and the extra folks get significantly sick. The excellent news is that preliminary proof signifies the flu vaccine ought to nonetheless present respectable safety.
BUDD: It is not too late to get vaccinated in any respect. We’re coming into the vacation season when people are going to be round collectively, so it does proceed to be a really helpful preventive motion this season.
STEIN: Together with staying house for those who’re sick, washing your fingers loads, and sure, possibly even masking up once more in crowded locations.
Rob Stein, NPR Information.
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