A severe influenza outbreak is sweeping the US, infecting between 29 and 51 million people and hospitalizing up to 820,000 since October. The current flu season has reached “high severity,” with over 50,000 patients battling the highly contagious respiratory infection in a single week this February.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) attributes the surge to post-COVID vaccination fatigue and misinformation. Years of debate around COVID-19 may have led to vaccine hesitancy or avoidance, compromising the public’s intent to get vaccinated for other health issues.
Experts warn that even with the flu season in full swing, getting vaccinated is crucial to reduce community spread and severe respiratory illness. The CDC advises anyone over six months old who has not received an influenza vaccine this year to get vaccinated immediately.
Recent data shows that deaths related to influenza are far outpacing those related to COVID-19, with 68 pediatric deaths reported in the week ending February 8. A map of respiratory cases in hospitals and clinics reveals very high levels of flu activity in outpatient clinics.
The causes of the sudden spike in influenza cases are unclear, but factors include a potentially less effective flu vaccine this year and declining vaccination rates since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. Flu vaccination rates have hit their lowest level in 12 years, with only 37% of children and 35% of adults having received a flu vaccine.
CDC data suggests that most children and adults have not received an annual influenza vaccine, despite ongoing efforts to combat misinformation about the safety and effectiveness of flu vaccines. By getting vaccinated, individuals can significantly reduce their risk of complications, hospitalization, and death from the flu.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/intense-flu-surge-gripping-the-us-is-the-worst-in-years-cdc-says