Hold That Sneeze — This Year’s Flu Season May Not Hit So Hard
Doctors and scientists note that positive signs from the Southern Hemisphere's flu season point to a potentially milder season in the North, too. Also in the news, the Biden administration has acknowledged problems with the transition from government to private control over the covid vaccine program.
The Wall Street Journal:
Fingers Crossed: Flu Season Might Not Be So Bad This Year
There’s some good news about flu season this year. Doctors and scientists don’t expect the worst. The flu season in the Southern Hemisphere, where the cold-weather illness period wraps up as we head into ours, often serves as a harbinger of what’s to come for us. There, cases picked up a little earlier than usual in some countries but didn’t result in an especially large number of hospitalizations and deaths, say public health experts and doctors. Also encouraging: The components in this year’s flu vaccine are a good match to the predominant strain so far. (Reddy, 10/30)
In covid updates —
The Hill:
Biden Administration Looks To Avoid Vaccine Hiccups As COVID-19 Treatment Coverage Goes Commercial
Administration officials have acknowledged the problems when the vaccines moved to commercial payers but said ample supply plus a relatively long transition period for antivirals should make it so those same issues — delayed insurance coverage and lack of supply — don’t happen again. “The federal product will continue to be available for days to weeks. And that gives a chance for the insurers, the [pharmacy benefit managers], the pharmacies, providers, all to work through the system changes needed to distribute the product commercially and effectively,” a senior Health and Human Services (HHS) official told reporters during a recent briefing. (Weixel, 10/30)
CBS News:
Marin County To Require Masks In Patient-Care Settings Beginning Nov. 1
The threat of COVID and other respiratory viruses during flu season has Marin County requiring masks in patient-care settings. ... The new mandate in Marin County, requires patients, staff and visitors to wear a mask in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities for the fall and winter virus season from Nov. 1 through March 31 of next year. "Whatever's best to help our residents. We want to make sure we protect them from the spread. I'm happy with this," said Redwoods a Community of Seniors Director of Staff Development Polly Wright. (Choi, 10/30)
CIDRAP:
Study: Regardless Of Variant, Half Of Long-COVID Patients Fail To Improve After 18 Months
More than 50% of long-COVID patients failed to improve 1.5 years after their initial diagnosis, according to a new study based on cases seen at a Danish post-COVID clinic, both before and after the Omicron variant period. The study was published yesterday in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases. The analysis included 806 patients who were infected with the wild-type strain, Alpha, Delta, or Omicron strain. All case-patients had been referred to a long COVID clinic with symptoms persisting at least 12 weeks from onset of COVID-19. Seventy percent of participants were female, with a median age of 48. (Soucheray, 10/30)
