Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Flu Hospitalizations Up 30% In 1 Week; Vaccines Still A Good Match, CDC Says
CNBC: Flu Hospitalizations Increase Nearly 30% As U.S. Enters Holiday Season
Flu hospitalizations have increased nearly 30% in a week as the spread of respiratory illnesses remains high across most of the U.S. More than 11,200 people were hospitalized with the flu during the week ending Nov. 19, compared to about 8,700 patients admitted during the prior week, according to data from the Health and Human Services Department. (Kimball, 11/28)
NBC News: Flu Continues To Spread Across The U.S., Infecting Millions, CDC Reports
Of the samples reported to the CDC this season, about 76% are the H3N2 strain of influenza A. The rest are H1N1. Both versions of the flu can result in severe illness. (Edwards, 11/28)
CIDRAP: Flu Activity Climbs Higher, More Pediatric Deaths Reported
But so far, the CDC said the majority of flu viruses tested are similar to the viruses included in this year's seasonal flu vaccines. (Schnirring, 11/28)
In North Texas, there's more flu than covid —
Dallas Morning News: Flu Hospitalizations Outpace Coronavirus Hospitalizations In North Texas
Flu hospitalizations now outnumber COVID-19 hospitalizations in North Texas for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic as multiple respiratory viruses continue to spread across the region. North Texas hospitals reported nearly 479 flu patients and 444 COVID-19 patients on Monday, a significant increase from the nearly 296 flu patients and 306 COVID-19 patients reported on Nov. 23, according to Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council data. (Wolf, 11/29)
Also —
USA Today: Experimental Flu Shot Could Target 20 Viruses With A Single Vaccine
For a half-century, scientists have been trying to develop a vaccine that would protect against the most dangerous flu viruses. Now, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have a new approach, based on the mRNA technology that proved so effective against COVID-19. Their idea is to target all 20 different types of influenza viruses in a single shot. (Weintraub, 11/28)
The New York Times: One Step Closer To A Universal Flu Vaccine?
Imagine a single dose of vaccine that prepares your body to fight every known strain of influenza — a so-called universal flu vaccine that scientists have been trying to create for decades. A new study describes successful animal tests of just such a vaccine, offering hope that the country can be protected against future flu pandemics. Like the Covid vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, the experimental flu vaccine relies on mRNA. (Mandavilli, 11/29)
