Seasonal flu shots are still available, despite confusion over when it’s not too late to get yours. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) halted its Wild to Mild initiative, a campaign aimed at informing the public about the benefits of flu vaccination. Launched at the start of the 2023-24 season, the campaign targeted high-risk groups, including children and pregnant people.
The CDC’s decision coincides with the worst flu season in nearly 30 years. The percentage of outpatient visits involving patients with influenza-like illness reached 7.79% in mid-February, the highest recorded since at least 1997-98. The current season has contributed to over 29 million illnesses, 370,000 hospitalizations, and 16,000 deaths.
Experts say low flu vaccine uptake is a contributing factor to the intense season. Less than half of adults (45%) and children (46%) had been immunized as of mid-February. Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr., medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, urges people to get vaccinated, saying “it’s not too late to reduce your risk for influenza and influenza-related complications.”
Source: https://fortune.com/well/article/rfk-jr-cdc-cancels-flu-vaccine-campaign-amid-surge