Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
When Will RSV Outbreak Peak? Holidays Are 'Critical' Point
Axios: Anthony Fauci: RSV Cases At "Critical" Point, Hopeful Rates Decline Soon
Spiking cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among children are currently at a critical juncture in the U.S. but will hopefully begin declining from their peak soon, outgoing NIAID director Anthony Fauci told CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday. (Saric, 11/27)
The Hill: Battle Against RSV In Schools Recalls COVID-19 Fight
Schools are preparing for another winter marked by mass sickness, as the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continues to spike among children, prompting precautions that mirror those seen during COVID-19. (Lonas and Choi, 11/26)
Detroit Free Press: 2 Michigan Hospitals Appeal For More Beds To Manage RSV Surge
The flood of children sick with respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV, along with patients who have influenza and COVID-19 have led two Michigan hospitals to file emergency appeals to state health regulators to expand hospital bed capacity. (Jordan Shamus, 11/23)
Los Angeles Times: Flu Shots Encouraged In Communities Of Color
Since October, California has had 17 flu deaths, according to the state Department of Public Health. For weeks, public health officials have been bracing for a sickly winter that includes the alarming early start of flu season, rising COVID-19 cases and a surge of cases of respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV. (Evans, 11/26)
NBC News: Is It Covid, Flu Or RSV? Chart Compares Differences In Symptoms
Around 76% of U.S. hospital inpatient beds are full, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services. Pediatric beds are at a similar level, though six states have 90% or more of their pediatric beds full, according to an NBC News analysis of HHS data. (Bendix, 11/24)
Axios: COVID, Flu And RSV In Kids: Symptoms To Watch And What Parents Need To Know
There's nothing novel about a child coming home from school in November with a runny and stuffy nose or a cough. But for parents, the stakes feel especially high right now: Is it just a cold? The flu? Or are these tell-tale signs of RSV or COVID? (Doherty, 11/25)
Also —
Reuters: Researchers Test MRNA Technology For Universal Flu Vaccine
An experimental vaccine provided broad protection against all 20 known influenza A and B virus subtypes in initial tests in mice and ferrets, potentially opening a pathway to a universal flu shot that might help prevent future pandemics, according to a U.S. study published on Thursday. The two-dose vaccine employs the same messenger RNA (mRNA) technology used in the COVID-19 shots developed by Pfizer with BioNTech, and by Moderna. It delivers tiny lipid particles containing mRNA instructions for cells to create replicas of so-called hemagglutinin proteins that appear on influenza virus surfaces. (Lapid, 11/25)
