Winter officially begins Thursday, and with the cold season, influenza and coronavirus infection rates are expected to rise, said Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cohen said in an interview Wednesday that the U.S. is currently experiencing a “sharp increase” in flu levels, especially in the South. She said the number of coronavirus cases also appears to be increasing nationally, but the number of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases appears to be at the highest point of the season.
“We think we'll see a peak for RSV a little earlier, but we don't think we're anywhere near the peak for influenza or COVID-19 yet,” Cohen said.
The weekly number of cases as of December 9th is RSV test positive In the US, prices fell by about 16% compared to the previous week.
This pattern is different from last year, when all three viruses “seemed to peak around the same time,” Cohen said.
After an early start in October 2022, influenza infection rates declined. It's full From late November to early December. RSV infection rates, which typically peak in winter, also peaked in November.
Last year, a dramatic spike in severe RSV illness overwhelmed children's hospitals, likely because many infants born during the pandemic remained unresponsive for the first year or two of their lives because of masks and social distancing. This is thought to be due to lack of exposure to the virus.
But this year, Dr. Cohen said, “We don't see any overall strain in children's hospitals, so we think this is a more typical RSV season.”
He added that COVID-19 also looks similar this season compared to last season.
“While COVID-19 is causing the most hospitalizations and deaths of all viruses, it currently appears to be less severe than last year's situation, which is good news,” Cohen said.
However, the JN.1 variant is Approximately 21% of people infected with the new coronavirus Nationwide, the spread of the virus is likely to accelerate. Cohen said the variant appears to be more transmissible than other circulating strains, but vaccines should still provide good protection.
“That's exactly why we want people to get the latest COVID-19 vaccine, because it's responsive to the changes we're seeing in the virus,” she said. .
The CDC issued a warning last week caveat hebelth healthcare providerAbout the low vaccination rate Covers Covid, Flu and RSV.
Approximately 18% of adults and 8% of children over 6 months of age have received the latest COVID-19 vaccination. The vaccine has been available since September and targets a variant called XBB.1.5.a preprint research Although it has not yet been peer-reviewed, the latest mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer suggest that they also provide stronger antibody protection against JN.1.
Similarly, this year's flu shot appears to be appropriate for the strains that are circulating. According to one report, in the Southern Hemisphere he reduced the risk of hospitalization due to influenza by 52%. CDC report.
The CDC estimates that 42% of adults and 43% of children have been infected so far this year. I received a flu shotcompared to 47% of vaccinated adults and 57% of children. last flu season.
Cohen said she made sure her children, ages 9 and 11, got their COVID-19 and flu shots.
The respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, on the other hand, is new this year and only targets two groups: pregnant women and adults over 60. The virus is usually mild in young, healthy adults; Babies under 6 months old Particularly vulnerable to severe outcomes, vaccines for pregnant people aim to transfer antibodies across the placenta.
According to the CDC, as of December 9, only 17% of older adults had been vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus.Data on pregnant people is not available, but some people have reported The question of whether insurance can cover vaccinations or Find it at pharmacies and clinics.
The FDA also approved an injectable respiratory syncytial virus drug for infants called nilsevimab, but the CDC reported a shortage in supply in October. The company that developed the drug made another 77,000 doses available in November, and another 230,000 doses are currently being delivered. Scheduled to be available in January.
Cohen said that when it comes to holiday travel and gatherings, people should consider not only their own risk of infection, but also the risk to those they celebrate with.
“Are you going to go to Christmas with your grandparents? Are you going to be close to a work colleague who is battling cancer?” she said. “As an individual, try to think not only about yourself, but also about who is around you.”
