Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Nearly 40% Of Adults Will Skip Flu Shot: 'Widespread Misconceptions' About Safety, Plus Fear Of Shots Among Reasons Why
The Hill: Survey: 37 Percent Of Americans Plan To Skip Flu Vaccine This Season
Thirty-seven percent of American adults don't plan to get flu shots this season, according to a poll released Tuesday. A survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago found those who don't plan to get shots have concerns about the side effects of the vaccine or think it doesn't work very well. (Hellmann, 12/3)
CNN: A Hospital Had 9 Flu Cases At This Time Last Year. This Year, It Had More Than 1,400
When Donna Bonin's 13-year-old son recently came down with a sky-high fever, she thought to herself: This can't be the flu. It's November. But Bonin is an experienced mother of seven, and she'd never seen any of her children so sick. She brought Adrian to the emergency room at Children's Hospital New Orleans, where he was, indeed, diagnosed with influenza. Adrian is in good company during what has proven to be an extraordinary fall for the flu in parts of the country, causing strain and long waits in the emergency room in some hospitals. (Cohen, 12/3)
Georgia Health News: Georgia And The South Feeling Brunt Of The Flu
Flu activity is high in seven Southern states, including Georgia, according to the CDC.The state’s Department of Public Health reported that 5.31 percent of Georgia outpatient visits were reported as influenza-like illnesses during the week ending Nov. 23. That percentage has steadily climbed since the flu season began. (Miller, 12/3)
MPR: Health Officials Wait To See If The Flu Vaccine Will Prove Effective In Minnesota
Health officials say Minnesotans soon will experience the full punch of flu season, and it’s not too late to get vaccinated. The process of acquiring a vaccine against a virus connected to thousands of hospitalizations in the state every year has not varied much over the years. (Roth, 12/4)
