Though vaccination pushes in the U.S. have been largely focused recently on halting the spread of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging Americans not to forget about immunization against another virus: the flu.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky encouraged people to get their flu shots so that America could avoid dual surges, and said it was okay for people to receive both vaccines, the Associated Press reported.
Walensky said that though Americans are "tired of talking about vaccines," it is "doubly important" to get their flu shot this year. Walensky, who received her own flu shot earlier this week, added that "we are preparing for the return of the flu."
Respiratory syncytial virus, which usually infects children during the winter, surged over this past summer as lower COVID infections and updated guidance gave people the confidence to stop wearing masks. Dr. William Shaffner of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases warned against a possible "twindemic" of COVID-19 and the flu in light of this surge, the AP reported.
"Is that a harbinger of a worse influenza season? We don't know, but we certainly don't want a 'twindemic,' both COVID and influenza," Schaffner said.
For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.
Flu cases dropped to historically low levels globally over the pandemic, as restrictions designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus helped block other respiratory viruses. But with schools and businesses reopened, international travel resuming and far less masking, there's no way to predict how bad a flu season the U.S. might expect this winter.
And if you still need a COVID-19 vaccination -- either first shots or a booster dose -- you can get it at the same visit as a flu shot.
The CDC recommends yearly flu vaccination for just about everyone starting with 6-month-old babies. Influenza is especially dangerous for older adults, children under age 5, people with chronic health problems such as diabetes, asthma or heart disease, and during pregnancy.
Last fall, about as many Americans overall got their flu vaccination as they did before the pandemic -- about half of the eligible population, according to CDC data released Thursday. But Walensky was dismayed by a slight drop in child flu vaccinations last year -- and at widening racial and ethnic disparities. Last year, 43 percent of Black Americans and 45 percent of Hispanics got a flu vaccination compared to 56 percent of whites.
The CDC expects vaccine makers to deliver 188 million to 200 million doses of flu vaccine. Most Americans with insurance can get one without a co-pay. Options include regular shots, shots that aim to give older adults a little extra protection, and a nasal spray. All offer protection against four different flu strains that global experts predict are the kinds most likely to spread this year.
At the same time they get vaccinated against flu, officials also urged older adults and people with chronic illnesses to ask about getting a vaccine against a type of pneumonia that is a frequent complication.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Zoe Strozewski is a Newsweek reporter based in New Jersey. Her focus is reporting on U.S. and global politics. Zoe ... Read more
