COVID-19 vaccination and background characteristics
Table1 presents summary statistics of these variables for all samples and separately by whether they were Internet health information seeking. In all samples, the COVID-19 vaccination rate was 73.1%, the proportion of males was 45.8%, the mean age was 51.3 years, 93% were Han Chinese, and most of the respondents marital status (75.1%) were married. In addition, the survey sample was in good health, with an overall sample self-reported health score of 3.47 points. The living area distribution of the overall sample shows that 46.1% of the respondents live in the eastern region, 33.3% live in the central region, and 20.6% live in the western region.
The Internet health information seeking group had a COVID-19 vaccination rate of 84.5%, while the non-Internet health information seeking group had a COVID-19 vaccination rate of 71.6%. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.01). Additionally, there were statistically significant variations in the two groups distributions of age, education level of primary school and below, education level of high school and above, household wealth status of poor, household wealth status of rich, occupational type, and health (p<0.01). The Internet health information seeking group is younger, more educated, wealthier regarding household assets, work in a state-owned enterprise, and healthier than the group not use Internet to seeking health information. There are no significant differences between the two groups regarding gender, ethnicity, marital status, and living area.
The correlation between the independent variables and the control variables and the result variables is analyzed, and the results are shown in Table2. As can be seen from the results table, there is a positive correlation between independent variable internet health information seeking and dependent variable (correlation coefficient r=0.093, P<0.01). Other relevant control variables are also correlated with the outcome variables.
Table3 shows the results that Internet health information seeking has a significant positive impact on COVID-19 vaccination. The average COVID-19 vaccination rate among individuals that non-Internet health information seeking was about 71.6% (Table2, row 13). The COVID-19 vaccination rate among individuals that Internet health information seeking was 4.1% points higher (Table2, row 1). The result is significant at the 1% level. Furthermore, individuals who are younger, belong to ethnic minorities, possess moderate household wealth, are married, maintain better health, and reside in the central and western regions of China exhibit elevated rates of COVID-19 vaccination. This correlation demonstrates statistical significance at the 1% level. Gender and middle-school education were also significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccination rates. Vaccination rates are higher among females and those with middle-school education. The result is significant at the 5% level.
The results of this study thus far indicate a correlation between Internet health information seeking and COVID-19 vaccination rates. To ensure the robustness of our models results, we conduct rigorous validation using the propensity score matching method. Due to the fact that Internet health information seeking is not a random event and can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as age, studies have shown that the younger generation is more likely to use the Internet than the older generation [25], and the level of education is also an important influence, and people with a high level of education are more likely to be proficient in using the Internet [20], there is the possibility of bias in the estimates. This issue, if left unaddressed, could result in significant deviations in the distribution of relevant eigenvalues. Therefore, implementing the propensity score matching method becomes essential for accurately estimating the impact of Internet health information seeking. Given that the population of individuals without Internet health information seeking is seven times larger than those with Internet health information seeking, we employ the one-to-seven matching method. In addition, both caliper matching and kernel matching are employed to ensure the reliability of our analyses.
Table4 shows the matching results. The ATT value derived using one-to-seven matching was 0.050 and significant at the 1% level, indicating that the percentage of vaccination was 5.0% higher with Internet health information seeking than without. The ATT values obtained using Caliper matching and Kernel matching were 0.045(P<0.01) and 0.052 (P<0.01), respectively, which were consistent with the results of one-to-seven matching, and this result verified the robustness of the regression analysis results.
Second, considering the impact of different occupations on COVID-19 vaccination behavior, we replaced our dependent variable with COVID-19 vaccination intention (1=Yes 0=No)(column 2). In the CGSS2021 questionnaire, the specific question about this variables was Which of the following statements best suits your situation?. We define intention to receiving vaccine if their answer is I wanted to be vaccinated.and the results were similar.
In this subsection, we delve into potential mechanisms to gain a deeper comprehension of how disseminating vaccine health information through the Internet influences individuals vaccination behavior. Table5 presents a tripartite breakdown of the pathways through which Internet health information seeking shapes vaccination patterns.
Drawing insights from existing literature, recognizing vaccination benefits is a pivotal driver of vaccine uptake. We embarked on an exploration of the link between Internet health information seeking and individuals perceptions regarding the merits of vaccination, encompassing notions such as the supremacy of vaccination benefits over drawbacks and the establishment of immunity through vaccination. As delineated in Table5, columns 1 and 2, the outcomes revealed a heightened likelihood among Internet health information seeking individuals to acknowledge the superior advantages of vaccination and the potential for immunization through this method. This accurate understanding consequently serves as a catalyst propelling Internet health information seeking individuals towards vaccine adoption.
Approaching the matter from an alternative angle, empirical studies have demonstrated the profound influence of attitudes towards information on individual health behaviors. This investigation explored the impact of Internet health information seeking on individuals recognition of the positive effect of Internet-based information on health behaviors. As depicted in Table5, column 3, the findings underscore a stronger propensity among Internet health information seeking individuals to acknowledge the constructive impact of online information on health behaviors. This acknowledgment engenders a greater acceptance of the veracity of Internet information, thereby fostering the execution of health-conscious behaviors. A visual representation of this impact mechanism is illustrated in Fig.1.
The mediating effects of cognitive factors
We extend our analysis to encompass the heterogeneous effects of Internet health information seeking by incorporating interaction terms. As evidenced in Table6, our investigation reveals limited indications of heterogeneous effects across various demographic and household attributes within our surveyed cohort. These attributes encompass gender, education level, household wealth, health status, and geographical location. Notably, we did identify specific subgroups in which Internet health information seeking seems to have a discernible impact on vaccination likelihood.
Upon closer examination, our findings indicate that older age, Han Chinese ethnicity, and unmarried status correlate with an augmented probability of vaccination due to Internet health information seeking, as indicated in Table6. This pattern can be ascribed to distinct factors that operate within these subgroups. For instance, older individuals might exhibit heightened receptivity to health-related information, rendering them more responsive to the effects of Internet health information seeking on vaccination rates, as detailed in Table6, row 2. Furthermore, the influence of Internet health information seeking on vaccination rates appears to be more pronounced among the unmarried demographic. This can potentially be attributed to the relatively higher availability of time and energy among unmarried individuals, in contrast to their married counterparts who often contend with familial responsibilities. As elaborated in Table6, row 7, those without marital commitments might allocate more resources to safeguarding their physical well-being, making them particularly responsive to the impact of Internet-based health information on their vaccination choices.
A recentScientific Reports study identifies the risk factors associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection based on a nationwide, multicenter, and observational cohort of adolescents and children hospitalized due to severe infection.
Study:Epidemiology of 7375 children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in Germany, reported via a prospective, nationwide surveillance study in 20202022. Image Credit: Sellwell / Shutterstock.com
SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has claimed millions of lives worldwide. Studies conducted during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic indicated that children were at a lower risk of developing severe SARS-CoV-2 infection than adults. However, more supporting data is needed to corroborate this observation.
Identifying the underlying risk factors that increase the risk of disease severity in some children is essential. This information would be critical to formulating risk-reduction measures and developing effective vaccination and non-pharmaceutical guidelines to protect children and adolescents from COVID-19.
The German Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (DGPI) launched a nationwide survey to collect data on children and adolescents admitted to hospitals due to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Pediatric patients between one and 17 years of age with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection requiring hospitalization were recruited between January 1, 2020, and November 30, 2022.
Children with pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS), which is also referred to as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), were separately documented.
All important information linked to the patients, including initial symptoms, exposures, comorbidities, disease course during hospitalization, medical treatment, and outcomes, were collected. Some of the comorbidities evaluated as potential risk factors (RF) for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection include psychiatric, respiratory, hematological, cardiovascular, neurological/neuromuscular, gastrointestinal, renal, hepatic, autoimmune, syndromic diseases, cancer, primary immunodeficiency (PID), and obesity.
Based on the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) data, which monitored SARS-CoV-2 variants in Germany, six phases were identified with different dominant SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC).
A total of7,375 children and adolescents were hospitalized due to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among these, 7,341 were hospitalized in German hospitals, and the remainder were hospitalized in Austrian hospitals.
Consistent with reports from previous studies, most children with SARS-CoV-2 infection developed mild symptoms. As a result, as compared to adults, children and adolescents had lower hospitalization and ICU admission rates.
About 50% of the cohort did not require hospital admission due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. In some cases, SARS-CoV-2 infection was the incidental finding, or some children contracted the infection during the hospital stay.
Only 20% of patients received COVID-19-related therapy. This observation supports the fact that most children with SARS-CoV-2 infection develop mild symptoms that do not require hospitalization or extensive medical treatment.
The successive emergence of different SARS-CoV-2 VOCs shifted the pattern of hospitalization and ICU admission rates. For the pediatric population, the overall hospitalization and ICU admission rates decreased during Omicron circulation, which may be attributed to the reduced virulence of this variant as compared to the Delta variant. Furthermore, compared to other VOCs, higher vaccination coverage and infection-acquired immunity occurred during the Omicron VOC phase.
In contrast to other age groups, infant hospitalization rates substantially increased during the Omicron period. This finding is in line with a previous United States-based study reporting increased infant hospitalization and reduced teenage hospitalization due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Notably, many infant-age admissions were likely due to taking preventive measures rather than actual disease severity.
Several risk factors were associated with ICU admission due to severe COVID-19, including obesity, Trisomy 21 and other genetic conditions, neurological/neuromuscular diseases, and coinfections. Pediatric patients with severe immunosuppression were not associated with an increased risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although obesity and Trisomy 21 were identified as significant risk factors in the pre-Omicron phase, these factors did not increase the risk of severe Omicron infections.
Overall, an increased risk for ICU admission was highest among 12- to 17-year-olds, followed by one- to four-year-olds.
The bivariate model revealed that patients with recurrent obstructive bronchitis, acyanotic heart disease, cyanotic, pulmonary hypertension, psychomotor retardation, arterial hypertension, heart failure, congenital kidney diseases epilepsy, and diabetes are at a greater risk of contracting severe infection. Thus, the presence of these factors must be considered while formulating treatments and preventive measures for children and adolescents to protect them from COVID-19.
The current study used a robust, comprehensive, nationwide pediatric and adolescent cohort recruited from multiple centers to identify risk factors for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Some of the factors that increase the risk of developing severe infection include obesity, Trisomy 21, being between five and 11 years of age, neurological/neuromuscular diseases, and coinfections at the time of hospitalization.
Journal reference:
The pandemic is far from over, as evidenced by the rapid rise to global dominance of the JN.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2. This variant is a derivative of BA.2.86, the only other strain that has carried more than 30 new mutations in the spike protein since Omicron first came on the scene more than two years ago. This should have warranted designation by the World Health Organization as a variant of concern with a Greek letter, such as Pi.
By wastewater levels, JN.1 is now associated with the second-biggest wave of infections in the United States in the pandemic, after Omicron. We have lost the ability to track the actual number of infections since most people either test at home or dont even test at all, but the very high wastewater levels of the virus indicate about 2 million Americans are getting infected each day.
In several countries in Europe, wastewater levels reached unprecedented levels, exceeding Omicron. Clearly this virus variant, with its plethora of new mutations, has continued its evolution with mutations adapted for infecting or reinfecting us.
There is, however, some good news about this big wave of infections. It has not resulted in the surge of hospital admissions seen with Omicron. The updated booster (based on the XBB.1.5 variant that rose to dominance in the U.S. in February), available here since September, has some cross-reactivity with JN.1 in lab studies for inducing neutralizing antibodies to the virus, and a recent Kaiser Permanente report showed the booster provided protection from hospitalization in the range of about 60% against JN.1 and other recently circulating variants.
With the marked differences in the spike protein between XBB.1.5 and JN.1, we are very lucky to see this level of vaccine-induced immune response. Nevertheless, only 19% of eligible Americans have gotten the updated booster. The Kaiser study also showed low levels of protection against hospitalization and emergency room visits for people who had received only prior versions of the vaccine, without the updated booster. That aligns with even more striking differences in the virus sequence of early strains compared with JN.1, and the problem we have with waning immunity four to six months after vaccination.
All of this is occurring on top of the flu and RSV waves, both of which are at very high levels, not clearly having peaked yet, with some people experiencing two of these infections at once.
With all three respiratory viruses circulating at full force, you would think wed be seeing people wearing masks everywhere in public. That couldnt be further from the truth. The state of denialism and general refusal to take simple steps to reduce the risk of infection can be seen everywhere.
It has taken healthcare systems many weeks after JN.1 showed up in October to recognize the threat. Only very recently have some reinstated mask mandates for healthcare workers and patients. Little has been done across the country to improve indoor air quality, upgrading filtration and ventilation.
Now in its fifth year, SARS-CoV-2 has once again proved to be highly resilient, capable of reinventing itself to infect us. Yet we continue to make-believe that the pandemic is over, that infections have been transformed to common cold status by prior exposure(s), and that life has returned to normal. Sadly, none of this is true.
The massive number of infections in the current wave will undoubtedly lead to more people suffering from long COVID. For a high proportion of people, especially those of advanced age, immunocompromised or with coexisting conditions, getting COVID is nothing close to a straightforward respiratory infection.
What is the exit strategy that could get us to return to normal? It certainly cant happen with the current complacency and false belief that the virus will burn out and go away. Inevitably, there will be another strain in the future that we are not at all prepared for and will lead to yet another very big wave across the planet.
Still, there has been exciting new data on oral, inhaled vaccines that achieve high levels of mucosal immunity and protection against infections, which would be variant proof. The U.S. has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to rev up clinical trials for two different nasal vaccines with promising early clinical trial data, and for improved, variant-proof shots with better protection and durability. But most of these efforts started only recently and are not getting urgent priority for completion during 2024, nothing like what we saw with Operation Warp Speed in 2020.
Its crickets from the White House on COVID now, with no messaging on getting the updated booster or masking. The Biden administration has done far too little to accelerate research on effective treatments for long COVID.
This passivity reinforces the illusion that the pandemic is behind us when its actually raging. And this season will be followed by a more quiescent period, which will, once again, lull us into thinking the pandemic is over. But there is no getting over it until we recognize reality and double down on the research that will allow us to block infections and virus spread, and achieve lasting, variant-proof immunity.
Eric J. Topol is a professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research and author of the Substack newsletter Ground Truths.
As kids go back to school and families return to a post-holiday routine, flu season is on track to be a rough one in some states, especially in the Southeast and parts of the West, doctors say. And the peak may still be a long way off, according the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thirty-three states are reporting high to very high case counts of influenza-like illnesses, and there have been about 4,500 flu-related deaths, including those of 20 children, since the 2023-24 season began in October.
Flu began to take off around Thanksgiving in Louisiana, which has one of the worst outbreaks in the country, said Dr. David Janz, the director of medical critical care services at University Medical Center New Orleans. About 20% of his critically ill patients are sick from influenza.
Flu cases are "increasing at a much faster rate that they had post-Thanksgiving," said Janz, who treats adults. "By some measures, here in Louisiana, this looks like it's probably going to be our worst influenza season since at least the 2009 H1N1 outbreak."
That was one of the most severe flu seasons in decades, with an estimated 12,000 deaths nationally. Back then, H1N1 was a new flu strain, and it hit children particularly hard. In subsequent years, H1N1 has circulated seasonally, including this year.
Janz warned that other states should prepare for the flu virus, which is spreading fast at the same time as Covid and other respiratory viruses.
"This is not just a Southern issue," he said.
Already, a number of states in the Northeast and the Midwest are reporting increases.
This time last year, flu cases had already peaked and were declining. Now, flu levels continue a steady path upward in the New Year.
Although ER visits among school-age children dipped last week while kids were home for winter break, flu overall isn't dropping anywhere. The current season looks to be "pretty typical," Dr. Mandy Cohen, the head of the CDC, said in an interview Wednesday.
"While we're still on the upswing," Cohen said, "we're not see any big surges."
The CDC estimates that there have been at least 7.1 million flu illnesses this season, with 73,000 hospitalizations. At least 14,732 people were admitted to the hospital for flu in the week that ended Dec. 23.
According to Cohen, there is no indication that the rises in flu or other respiratory illnesses like Covid are straining hospital systems yet.
Most patients sick enough to be hospitalized and die from flu are ages 65 and older.
Children, too, can get severely ill from flu, and it can be especially dangerous for kids ages 5 and younger. ER visits for flu among babies ages 1 and under rose significantly during the week that ended Saturday, the CDC reported.
North Carolina, which is in the midst of "very high" flu activity, has reported three pediatric deaths this year already matching the number of children who died in the state during all of last year's flu season, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.
"We are definitely seeing a surge in cases of influenza right now," said Dr. Jonathan Miller, the chief of primary care pediatrics for Nemours Children's Health. "A lot of sick kids, a lot of sick families coming out of the holidays when everybody was getting together." The Nemours system includes children's hospitals and dozens of pediatricians in Delaware, Florida and Pennsylvania.
Dr. Amina Ahmed, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Atrium Health Levine Children's in Charlotte, North Carolina, said she has also noted the steady uptick in pediatric flu cases. Those young patients typically come in with fevers, cough and often either runny noses or sore throats, Ahmed said.
Both Ahmed and Miller of Nemours said that, anecdotally, it seems that the kids sick enough to be hospitalized with flu didn't get this year's flu shot.
"These kids are pretty much all unvaccinated," Ahmed said. "The uptake on the influenza vaccine wasn't as robust as we would have hoped."
According to a CDC survey, just 43.9% of kids ages 6 months to 17 years received the flu shot this year. The survey estimated that about the same percentage of adults 43.8% said they got the shot.
The percentage tends to be lower in states like Louisiana, where Janz estimates that just 30% to 40% had had their flu vaccines.
Cohen said this year's flu shot does seem to cover the influenza strains that are circulating: mostly H1N1, an influenza A strain. And, she said, there is still time to get the shot.
"We have weeks and weeks" of flu season to go, she said, "and maybe even a couple of months."
Along with vaccinations, the CDC recommends:
Erika Edwards is a health and medical news writer and reporter for NBC News and "TODAY."
Patrick Martin and Sam Brock contributed.
Why It Matters: The virus is a new threat for many wild mammals.
The infected polar bear provides further evidence of how widespread this virus, a highly pathogenic form of H5N1, has become and how unprecedented its behavior has been. Since the virus emerged in 2020, it has spread to every continent except for Australia. It has also infected an unusually broad array of wild birds and mammals, including foxes, skunks, mountain lions and sea lions.
The number of mammals reported with infections continues to grow, Dr. Bob Gerlach, Alaskas state veterinarian, said.
In most cases, the virus has not caused mass die-offs in wild mammal populations. (South American sea lions have been one notable exception.) But it does represent a new threat for the already vulnerable polar bear, which is imperiled by climate change and the loss of sea ice.
The concern is that we dont know the overall extent of what the virus may do in the polar bear species, Dr. Gerlach said.
The polar bear was found dead this past fall in far northern Alaska, near Utqiagvik. Swabs collected from the animal initially tested negative for the virus. But when experts conducted a more comprehensive work-up, performing a necropsy and collecting tissue samples from the bear, they found clear signs of inflammation and disease, Dr. Gerlach said.
Last month, tissue samples from the bear tested positive for the virus, according to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. The virus was ultimately identified in multiple organs, Dr. Gerlach said. I think it would be a safe thing to say that it died from the virus, he said.
Alaska has previously reported infections in a brown bear and a black bear, as well as in several red foxes.
It is not clear how the polar bear contracted the virus, but sick birds had been reported in the area. The polar bear might have been infected after eating a dead or ailing bird, Dr. Gerlach said.
And scientists dont know whether this case is a one-off or whether there are other infected polar bears that have escaped detection. It can be tricky to monitor the virus in wild animal populations, especially those that live in places as remote as northern Alaska. How do you know how many are affected? Dr. Gerlach said. We really dont.
Local scientists, officials and other experts will continue to look for signs of the virus in wild animals, including in polar bears that turn up dead or seem sick, Dr. Gerlach said.
As the new year gets underway, health officials are issuing a nationwide alert about a triple threat: The simultaneous spread of the flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting a significant rise in emergency room visits due to flu and COVID-19, while RSV infections continue to pose a serious risk particularly to infants and the elderly.
Dr. Celine Gounder, a CBS News medical contributor and KFF Health News editor-at-large for public health, said that the U.S. is seeing a flu spike and a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
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"We've had 10,000 people across the U.S. die from COVID since November, so this is definitely not gone," said Gounder.
With symptoms often overlapping, Gounder said it was important to test to differentiate between the viruses. She also advocated for vaccination and the use of masks, such as N95s, as effective prevention strategies.
"They will not necessarily prevent all infections, but they will prevent you from getting really sick. Especially if you're somebody who doesn't want to miss time at work or at school," said Gounder.
Comparing the current situation to previous years, Gounder said that this season is better than the last couple since the pandemic started.
"Even before the pandemic bad flu season could really crush the hospital. In terms of the number of patients coming in. And so now you have a whole new virus on top of what we were seeing before. And so there's really not a lot of bandwidth to take on more patients if people get sick," said Gounder.
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The data is based on the number of people going to the doctor with symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat. It can include people who are suffering from any of the circulating viruses: flu, coronavirus or Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Also in the mix are the common cold and the bacterial infection known as strep throat, according to local doctors.
The states latest report shows a higher level of flu illnesses in early January compared to this time over the past three years.
At SmartMED Drive-Thru Medical Care in Roswell, about 75% of their patient volume has been for respiratory illnesses over the past few weeks.
There has been no slowdown in recent days. Dr. Luke Lathrop, chief medical officer at SmartMed, expects the volume to increase even more during the coming days as children return to school.
Dr. Jim Fortenberry, chief medical officer at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, said Wednesday the hospital system is continuing to see high volumes of children with respiratory illnesses coming into the emergency room and children needing to be admitted.
Widespread flu activity is driving the current spike in illnesses. COVID numbers have also risen in recent weeks but they are not as high as previous years. Meanwhile, RSV is on the decline after an earlier rise in cases.
Fortunately, RSV numbers seem to be declining. We hit our RSV peak towards the end of November. Currently, the primary diagnosis we are seeing has been children with the flu. Were also seeing a slight increase in children with COVID-19 virus infection, Fortenberry said in an email.
Physicians agree the best way to avoid spreading and contracting viruses is to get vaccinated and stay home if you are sick. Doctors and the CDC recommend early treatment for anyone who gets sick, especially for those at high risk of serious complications. Antivirals are available for both COVID and the flu, but must be taken shortly after symptoms appear.
Most people can recover from COVID and the flu at home. And no matter your risk, if you have difficulty breathing or shortness or breath, seek medical care right away.
New COVID hospitalizations are up in Georgia, but they remain lower than previous holiday seasons. In Georgia, new COVID hospitalizations totaled 501 for the week ending Dec. 23. Thats up from 472 the previous week, a 6% increase. Nationally, new COVID hospitalizations increased by 17% over the same period.
The CDC estimates that 42% of adults in the U.S. have received a flu shot, according to estimates on Dec. 9. Only 18% of adults have received the updated COVID vaccine, And only 17% of adults 60 and over have received an RSV vaccine.
Credit: cust
Credit: cust
COVID-19 Vaccines:
CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get the COVID vaccine that was updated this year to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID illness. New variants continue to surface, but the current formula still offers protection.
People who recently had COVID can hold off getting the vaccine for three months.
Flu vaccines:
Everyone 6 months of age and older should get vaccinated for the flu. Ideally, get the shot by the end of October but later is better than never. The seasonal flu vaccine is reformulated each year to tailor them to the virus types predicted to be most common in the upcoming season. Even when its not a perfect match, the shots can prevent serious illness.
RSV Vaccines
The CDC recommends the RSV vaccine for adults over 60, after they have a conversation about it with their health care providers, something called shared clinical decision-making. Pregnant women are also recommended to get an RSV vaccine during their pregnancy. Babies born to mothers who get the RSV vaccine at least 2 weeks before delivery will have protection and, in most cases, should not need an RSV immunization later.
The CDC had also recommended earlier all children under 8 months of age get an RSV shot, along with older infants at higher risk for severe disease. But due to a shortage of the immunization, the CDC recommended in October that doses be prioritized for children under 6 months of age and for infants with underlying conditions that place them at the highest risk for severe RSV disease. Local doctors say the availability of the RSV doses is starting to improve.
A polar bear in Alaska has reportedly become the first of its kind to die from H5N1 avian influenza.
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservationconfirmed the deathof the polar bear, a species listed as threatened under theEndangered Species Act, in December, and Dr. Bob Gerlach, Alaska's state veterinarian, told theAlaska Beacon, "This is the first polar bear case reported, for anywhere.
Gerlach explains that although bears typically eat seals and fish, it is possible that the virus was contracted by consuming an already infected dead bird.
If a bird dies of this, especially if its kept in a cold environment, the virus can be maintained for a while in the environment, he told the Beacon.
Bird flu has been causing bird deaths for decades, with strains of the virus identified since 1996 and notable outbreaks in 2004 and 2005. However, the present outbreak marks the most severe case of avian flu in U.S. history.
It started in Feb. 2022 when the U.S. Department of Agriculture found the strain on a Midwest poultry farm. Since then, theUSDA reportsthat over 70 million birds in the U.S. have been impacted, with 11.4 million being affected last month alone. The virus has also spread to birds in over80 countries.
While mostly affecting birds, the virus has alsospread to mammalslike foxes, skunks, mountain lions, other types of bears, and sea lions.
The increasing impact on mammals worries Gerlach, who, considering the polar bear's threatened status,states, "We dont know the overall extent of what the virus may do in the polar bear species."
SEE MORE: About 100,000 turkeys killed at farms in Iowa to stop avian flu spread
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com
Coronavirus By IANS 21 hours ago TWC India
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Patients hospitalised with Omicron BA.5 are more likely to die than those with other COVID-19 variants or with flu, according to a new study led by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The study, published in the Open Forum Infectious Diseases, looked at the proportion of hospitalised COVID-19 and influenza patients admitted to a US intensive care unit (ICU) in 2021 and 2022. Findings showed that the percentage of hospitalised COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU was similar to seasonal influenza but patients during the Omicron BA.5 period continued to experience more in-hospital deaths than adults hospitalised with influenza.
The association with increased in-hospital death was strongest among adults aged 18-49 years; there was no significant difference in deaths between patients with COVID-19 and influenza among older ages.
"The epidemiology of COVID-19 continues to evolve. Our data suggest that from the Delta-predominant period to the Omicron BA.5-predominant period, the severity of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 generally decreased," said Noah Kojima, from the CDC's Influenza Division in Georgia.
The study included 5,777 and 2,363 eligible adults hospitalised for COVID and flu, respectively. Amid the Delta variant-predominant period (October to December 2021), 1,632 were hospitalised, compared with 1,451 during the Omicron BA.5 period (June to September 2022).
During the 2011-22 respiratory virus season, 2,363 people were hospitalised for flu. Although there was a decline in the severity of COVID-19 hospitalisation during the study period, overall severity during later Omicron sublineage periods (BA.2 and BA.5) was generally similar.
Continued monitoring of severity trends is warranted as new variants circulate and population-level immunity changes, the team said. The reduced disease severity amid Omicron BA.5 predominance is likely multifactorial, including increased population-level SARS-CoV-2 immunity from vaccination and previous infection, broader availability of effective drugs, and refined clinical management strategies, they noted.
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RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- New metrics from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) shows worsening metrics for respiratory viruses, as health officials with the agency urge people to protect themselves.
"We are approaching the peak of winter respiratory virus season and encourage people to get tested early and seek treatment as soon as they begin to develop symptoms," said Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo-Tilson, State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer for NCDHHS in a press release. "Don't wait to seek treatment if you test positive for the flu or COVID-19, as treatments can help prevent severe illness, especially for those who are high risk of serious complications based on their age or medical conditions."
For the seven-day period ending December 20th, COVID-19 wastewater particles reached its highest level since January 2023. The latest numbers also represent the fifth straight week of increases. The 44.3 million COVID-19 virus particles per person were also more than twice as high as late November.
For the week ending December 30th, there were 923 people hospitalized with COVID, a 30% jump in just seven days. However, that's actually down significantly from the 1,580 COVID hospitalizations during this same stretch in 2022.
"It has been quite a busy season," said Dr. Dan Park, who is the Medical Director of Pediatric Emergency Department at UNC Medical Center.
Park explained cases of RSV and flu remain high, with the latter figure notably elevated in state figures. According to NCDHHS, for the week ending December 30th, there are 1,055 people hospitalized with flu. Comparatively, during the same time period last year, there were just over 300 people hospitalized with flu.
"I equate the pediatric emergency department like the canary in the coal mine for us in terms of the hospital and hospital capacity. When our volumes go up, you know the hospitals get full," said Dr. Park.
The CDC is offering recommendations for the RSV vaccine, stating there are two vaccines that have been licensed by the FDA and recommended by the CDC for people ages 60 and older, one vaccine during weeks 32 to 36 for pregnancy, and a RSV preventative antibody for infants and some young children.
"Anecdotally what we're seeing this season, (for) the really young obviously RSV can be quite harsh. Hopefully as the new vaccine is rolled out this season and next season, that will kind of blunt some of the severity of that illness in young children and maybe even for the elderly. But the thing that's been notable that we've been seeing is the elderly coming down with severe RSV which is not something that we're kind of accustomed to," Park explained.
Elsewhere, people are opting to take their own measures to protect themselves.
"I try to take those things into account, but not let them prohibit me from living life. I do a lot of preventative care...lots of good rest, lots of good self-care," Raleigh resident Lucy Byrd Hope said.
UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill saw weekly increases in COVID and RSV patients, but a slight dip in flu, while WakeMed saw a bump in COVID, but decreases in both COVID and RSV. Duke Health reported total testing numbers for RSV, COVID, and the flu were down across the board, which is to be expected considering the holiday period.
NCDHHS urged people experiencing mild symptoms to seek medical attention, while highlighting the availability of flu and COVID vaccines.
"I don't think it's ever too late (to get vaccinated). I would say go and get it, especially the flu shot, because it's been such a severe season and the numbers are quite high. So I would say if you're on the fence, go for it," said Dr. Park.
