Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
An Imperfect Vaccine, A 'Bad Strain', And Cold Weather Combining To Trigger Rough Flu Season
The New York Times: Already ‘Moderately Severe,’ Flu Season In U.S. Could Get Worse
This winter’s flu season is turning into a “moderately severe” one that might get worse because of an imperfect vaccine and steady cold weather, flu experts and public health officials said this week. The flu is now widespread across the country and the peak of transmission probably occurred during the Christmas-New Year’s holiday week, just as many people were crowded into planes, buses and cars or in large family gatherings, said Dr. Daniel B. Jernigan, director of the influenza division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (McNeil, 1/8)
California Healthline: Defending Against This Season’s Deadly Flu: 5 Things To Know Now
Aja C. Holmes planned to go to work last week, but her flu symptoms — a cough, fever and severe body aches that worsened overnight — had other ideas. “It felt like somebody took a bat and beat my body up and down,” said Holmes, 39, who works as a residential life director at California State University-Sacramento. “I couldn’t get out of bed.” The nation is having a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad flu season. (Ostrov, 1/8)
San Jose Mercury News: Tamiflu Shortage Reported In Some Bay Area Walgreens Stores
The recent spike in flu cases around the Bay Area and California is not only crowding hospital emergency rooms with flu patients, it’s also leading to more demand for flu shots and antiviral medications to treat the virus. That means some drug stores around the region, such as Walgreens, are reporting a limited supply of Tamiflu, said company spokesman Scott Goldberg. (Seipel, 1/8)
Dallas Morning News: Methodist Dallas Sent Some Patients Elsewhere Because Of Severe Flu Outbreak
A high numbers of patients with flu-like symptoms had Methodist Dallas Medical Center rerouting some ambulance patients so it can care for those in emergency situations. "This measure is so we can still take care of emergency patients such as trauma, stroke and sexual assault," the hospital said in a written statement Monday, noting that it is at critical capacity but not turning away patients. (Cardona, 1/9)
