Category: Flu Vaccine

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued recommendations on Thursday that nearly all Americans over 6 months old get an updated COVID-19 and flu shot this fall.

The CDC said that as soon as updated COVID-19 shots from Moderna, Novavax and Pfizer are available later this year, the public should get an updated vaccine, regardless of past vaccination status.

Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration provided updated guidance for COVID-19 vaccine makers, calling for them to formulate a shot that better targets more recent strains of the virus. The FDA said that fall 2024 COVID-19 vaccines should target the KP.2 variant of the virus, which is a descendant of the JN.1 variant that widely circulated throughout the U.S. during the winter.

Related story: COVID cases on the rise in 39 states, marking the start of an anticipated summer surge

Additionally, the CDC said that updated flu shots should be sought in September or October for most people. Pregnant people who are in their third trimester and children who need two doses of the flu vaccine could get a flu vaccine sooner. The CDC also said some people who are unable to get vaccinated in September or October should consider getting an updated flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available.

Our top recommendation for protecting yourself and your loved ones from respiratory illness is to get vaccinated, said Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the CDC. Make a plan now for you and your family to get both updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall, ahead of the respiratory virus season.

Excerpt from:

CDC recommends updated COVID-19, flu shots this fall - KSBY News

Maine CDC reports first child flu death of the season

by WGME Staff

FILE - This Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020 file photo shows influenza vaccine syringes at the L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan's Community Resource Center's Free Drive-Thru vaccination event in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

The Maine CDC says a child in Maine has died from the flu.

It's the first child death in our state this flu season.

CDC officials say we are more than a month past peak flu season- with higher levels reported between early October and mid-May.

The CDC offered no other details but say children six months and older should get their annual influenza vaccine, as well as monitor your child for things like trouble breathing and other respiratory issues.

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Maine CDC reports first child flu death of the season - WGME

It's important for everyone 6 months old and older to get vaccinated against influenza (the flu) yearly. The flu infected as many as 31 million people in the U.S. during the 2022-2023 flu season. The flu vaccine is highly effective and safe but may cause mild side effects like pain, swelling, or redness where the shot was given. These side effects typically go away within a few days.

Other side effects can include aches and pains, dizziness, and mild fever. You can typically relieve flu shot side effects using a pain reliever. Read on to learn about the common flu vaccine side effects and when to get vaccinated.

Flu shots have been around since the 1930s and are considered extremely safe and effective. Most side effects of the flu vaccine are mild and go away within a few days.

All vaccines can cause side effects, and most of these symptoms are entirely normal. Side effects are basically telling you that your immune system is working. The immune cells are rushing to where the vaccine was injected to react to it.

The standard-dose flu shot for people ages 6 months to 64 years old contains an inactivated (killed) flu virus. The most common side effects from this vaccine include pain, swelling, or redness where the shot was given. Other side effects can include aches and pains, dizziness, and mild fever.

These side effects can occur from any injected vaccine, meaning your immune system has been activated. Not having these side effects doesn't mean your immune system isn't responding to the shot. Reactions vary from person to person.

There's always a small percentage of people who have a headache and muscle aches or pains the next day. These aches and pains typically develop on the day you receive the flu shot and go away a few days after.

Taking a pain reliever, such as Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen), can ease discomfort. Some evidence suggests that pain relievers may impact how your body responds to the flu vaccine. Keep in mind that the data is inconclusive, and it's not clear whether you can't take pain relievers.

Some people can feel dizzy or faint after getting a flu vaccine. Talk to a healthcare provider before they administer the vaccine. They may recommend that you have a snack or sit down after you receive the vaccine.

You may develop a mild fever after getting a flu shot, but it's uncommon to have a high fever. A fever typically goes away within a few days and can be treated with Advil or Tylenol.

Almost everybody gets a sore arm after getting a flu shot. You might also notice redness, swelling, and warmth at the injection site. These side effects are usually gone after a few hours, but some people still have them the next day or two. Taking Advil or Tylenol can treat an injection site reaction.

Severe side effects from the flu vaccine are very rare. However, some people can develop an uncommon neurological disease called Guillain-Barr syndrome (GBS) or a severe allergic reaction.

One rare side effect is GBS, which is a neurological disease that causes muscle weakness and paralysis. These symptoms, which typically worsen within a few hours, involve both sides of the body. You might require breathing assistance if GBS affects the nerves of the chest and diaphragm, or the muscle under the lungs.

Other GBS symptoms include:

GBS develops after one or two out of every million vaccine doses. Some evidence suggests that the risk of GBS is actually higher after getting the flu than it is from getting the vaccine.

Severe allergic reactions are extremely rare, affecting fewer than one or two in one million people. Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include:

These symptoms generally develop within hours of receiving the vaccine. Call 911 or contact a healthcare provider right away any time someone experiences such symptoms.

Several different kinds of flu vaccines are offered each year. What vaccine you get depends greatly on your age and other factors, such as health conditions and allergies.

The vaccine may be given by injection or nasal spray. Special dosages are available for the youngest and oldest recipients. The vaccine can also be made using an inactivated (killed) virus or an attenuated (weakened but live) virus.

Not all flu vaccines are made the same way or intended for the same people, even though they offer the same protection. The side effects of flu shots may also be slightly different.

Two different vaccines are made specifically for people aged 65 and older. One shot contains the exact same dose of antigen as the injection for younger adults with the addition of an adjuvant. The other shot is a high-dose version of the vaccine, with four times the amount of antigen.

An antigen is the part of the virus that triggers the immune response. An adjuvant is an ingredient added to help spark a stronger immune response.

The common side effects are the same for all inactivated flu vaccines, regardless of the vaccine: sore arm, perhaps some muscle pain, or a mild fever. All injectables have similar side effects. The rare serious side effects are also the same.

The nasal spray vaccine is available for non-pregnant people aged 2 to 49 who don't have serious, underlying illnesses. It's primarily used in children, but some adults decide they'd rather skip the needle if they can.

This vaccine isn't just an inhaled version of the injectable. It contains a weakened, not killed, version of the flu virus to stimulate the immune system. The nasal spray vaccine doesn't cause the flu since the virus is specially engineered not to multiply once it's exposed to slightly higher temperatures inside the body.

The most common side effects include:

Children may also experience wheezing, vomiting, muscle aches, sore throat, and low-grade fever. These side effects are typically mild and don't last long after vaccination.

Most flu vaccines are made using eggs to grow the vaccine cells. Experts advise that people who have had allergic reactions to eggs receive a flu vaccine under the watch of a healthcare provider who can detect and handle severe allergic reactions.

People who have had severe allergic reactions to egg-based flu vaccines are advised against receiving them in the future. You can likely still receive one of the two flu vaccines that are not made using eggs. It's still important to receive the vaccines under the supervision of a healthcare provider. They can discern and manage severe allergic reactions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises getting a flu vaccine in September or October to prepare for flu season. The vaccine can still protect you if you get it after October. A flu shot is effective for one year, so it's important to get a new one before each flu season.

Some people may need to get a flu shot early, like in July or August, such as:

Getting a flu shot can mean you have to endure an achy arm for a few hours. Some people may also experience side effects like headaches, nausea, and mild fever. Severe side effects, including GBS and severe allergic reactions, are rare.

The side effects of flu shots are mild and fleeting for most people. The risk of these side effects generally outweighs a case of the flu, which can lead to serious complications. Talk to a healthcare provider if you meet the criteria for a high-dose vaccine, nasal spray, or egg-free option. They can help determine what vaccine to get and when.

Originally posted here:

Flu Vaccine Side Effects: Common and Rare - Health.com

By Eleanor Laise

Health officials are ramping up their response to H5N1 - but this is not COVID 2.0, experts say

The race to contain the bird flu kicked into a higher gear this week, as federal and state officials announced new measures designed to ensure the multistate outbreak among dairy cattle doesn't become a flu pandemic.

Public-health officials in recent days have unveiled more detailed plans to ensure availability of effective vaccines and treatments, step up scrutiny of dairy products, and other measures. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, an office within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, earlier this week released a pandemic-flu strategy - outlining steps such as boosting testing speed and access and encouraging the development of vaccines that can quickly tackle new virus strains. The Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, this week announced expanded efforts to test dairy products for H5N1, the bird-flu strain currently circulating in dairy cattle.

Those steps come as bird flu affects a growing number of dairy herds. The virus was confirmed this week in seven additional herds in three states -Colorado, Idaho and Iowa - bringing the total to well over 100 herds in a dozen states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Three U.S. human bird-flu cases have been reported in recent months, all of them tied to dairy-cow exposure.

While H5N1 has been known to circulate among wild birds for decades, infectious-disease experts have raised alarms about its more recent spread among a growing number of mammal species - and particularly dairy cows that have constant contact with humans. Every time an avian virus infects a mammal, it has the opportunity to evolve and become even better at infecting mammals, said Andrew Pekosz, a professor in the department of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Each time, "the virus rolls the dice and may come up double sixes in terms of acquiring those mutations that would make it adapt to a new host" and transmit more easily, Pekosz said.

Although the risk to the general public remains low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it's clear that public-health officials are more vigilant than ever. Here's what you need to know about the current state of H5N1 and testing, vaccines and treatments for the disease - and the steps you can take to protect yourself.

1. This is not a COVID rerun

First, the good news: In some ways, we're better off than we were at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, infectious-disease experts say.

Unlike the onset of COVID-19, H5N1 is not new to us - public-health officials have been tracking and studying it for decades. The federal government already has some vaccines on hand that are well matched to the currently circulating strain, and available flu antivirals such as Tamiflu are thought to be effective against H5N1.

Now for the bad news: The U.S. is still not as prepared as it should be for a potential pandemic, some experts say, as the H5N1 response relies partly on the voluntary efforts of dairy farms to help monitor and contain the spread of the virus. More than 60% of farms continued to move animals off the farm after the onset of clinical signs of bird flu, according to a recent USDA report, raising concerns about disease transmission.

Globally, the death rate among people with H5N1 has also been far higher than for those with COVID. Of the nearly 900 human cases of H5N1 tracked worldwide between 2003 and May of this year, 52% were fatal, according to the World Health Organization.

But the H5N1 fatality rate may not be quite as frightening as it sounds, Pekosz said. It's easier to track the more severe cases - those that result in hospitalizations and deaths - while milder infections may be missed, leading to an underestimate of the number of cases, he said. Even so, Pekosz noted, "I'm sure the virus has higher mortality rates than seasonal flu."

2. Testing faces obstacles

The people who are currently most exposed to H5N1 - dairy workers - can also be challenging to test and monitor, public-health experts say. More than 40% of dairy workers were uninsured as of 2015, according to a USDA study, and many are undocumented. On top of the lack of health coverage, language barriers and concerns about engaging with health officials may put some distance between these workers and health services, according to health-policy-research nonprofit KFF.

Broader availability of bird-flu tests may also be needed, some experts say. Currently, the only authorized test that can specifically identify H5N1 is a CDC test that is available at more than 100 labs nationwide, according to the FDA. Many other widely used flu tests can detect influenza A, a broad category that includes H5N1 as well as some seasonal flu. If one of those tests turns up a suspected bird-flu case, then the CDC's test is needed to determine whether it's H5N1.

While there's currently plenty of testing capacity, if the virus adapts and begins to transmit more easily, having additional tests available would be "incredibly helpful," said Kelly Wroblewski, director of infectious-disease programs at the Association of Public Health Laboratories.

The FDA is working with test developers who may be interested in developing bird-flu tests, an agency official told MarketWatch, but so far the FDA has not received regulatory submissions for any additional manufacturers' tests that could identify H5N1.

Nearly 700 people have been monitored because of their exposure to infected cows, according to the CDC, and more than 50 people have been tested because they developed symptoms. Under a broader flu-testing protocol, however, more than 30,000 human samples have also been tested since early March, the CDC said, and none of those were found to be tied to H5N1.

"CDC believes that the current testing guidance and supplies are appropriate for the situation now," a CDC spokesperson told MarketWatch. There are currently nearly 1 million H5-specific CDC tests, the spokesperson said, and 1 million more will be available in the coming months.

On top of testing for new cases, more testing for bird-flu antibodies is also needed, Pekosz said. Many people who were exposed to the virus early on may have no current signs but likely have antibodies that could indicate prior infections. Such testing is moving forward in at least one state, Michigan, with help from the CDC, health officials said this week.

3. We have wastewater surveillance to help detect flu - but it may not help much

The CDC now has data that show the levels of influenza A viruses in wastewater from regions across the country and can compare them to levels at the same sites during the 2023-2024 flu season. But the wastewater-monitoring methods don't distinguish among influenza A subtypes or between human and animal sources.

"It's still a relatively new tool, and we don't have a lot of baseline data to identify true signals from noise," Wroblewski said. Some of the signals seen so far, she said, turned out to be tied to the dumping of milk or cleaning out of trucks that were carrying dairy cattle.

While there's "tremendous potential" for this type of surveillance, Wroblewski said, "we're still learning how to use it most effectively and most efficiently."

4. Some experts say vaccination should start now - but government officials aren't making any promises

The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, is working with the FDA to label hundreds of thousands of existing doses of vaccine and filling another 4.8 million doses of the same vaccine, which is "well matched to the circulating H5N1 strain," an ASPR spokesperson told MarketWatch. Those additional doses will be completed this summer, the spokesperson said.

If we have shots that are considered safe and effective, it makes sense to start putting them in arms, some experts say. "Immunizing dairy-farm workers would be a great use of the existing stockpile right now," Pekosz said, adding that "vaccination can be very targeted" to protect the people most at risk. But communication would be key, he noted: "We don't want these hollow victories - like we'll give vaccines to all these dairy-farm workers, yet no one shows up to take it."

No vaccine campaign is imminent, the ASPR spokesperson said, as the risk to people remains low. The CDC spokesperson said the agency is involved in "early, ongoing discussions" of H5N1 vaccination and where and when it might be appropriate, but the virus is still "largely an agricultural issue affecting animal health." If the risk assessment changes, the spokesperson said, that could prompt additional steps to provide vaccines either to specific groups or the public more broadly.

If the virus evolves and circulates among humans, however, the existing vaccines may not be such a good match. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority is working to add an mRNA platform for flu vaccines - which could potentially be integrated into its national vaccine-stockpile program, the ASPR spokesperson said - and accelerating its clinical-trial efforts. Moderna Inc.'s stock (MRNA) climbed late last month after a report that BARDA was nearing a deal to fund a late-stage trial of its experimental bird-flu vaccine. The ASPR spokesperson said Thursday that "specifics of ongoing contract discussions cannot be released at this time."

5. You can take steps to protect yourself

One clear and simple way to lower your risk: Don't drink raw milk. Pasteurization kills off harmful bacteria and viruses by heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time.

Some experts would still like to see more testing to ensure the milk supply's safety. "We know pasteurization works, but pasteurization is not sterilization and should not be our only defense," Pekosz said.

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Bird-flu testing, vaccines and treatments: 5 things you need to know now - Morningstar

CDC announcing new recommendations for vaccines this fall

Updated: 5:08 PM EDT Jun 28, 2024

SCHEDULING NEW SHOTS FOR YOUR FAMILY THIS FALL, THE CDC NOW SAYS MOST AMERICANS SHOULD GET AT LEAST TWO. HERE TO EXPLAIN IS DOCTOR SIMONE WILDES, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AT SOUTH SHORE HEALTH. GOOD TO SEE YOU, DOCTOR. HEY, DOCTOR WILDES, WE LOVE SEEING YOUR SMILE ON A FRIDAY ANY DAY. BUT ON A FRIDAY, ITS WONDERFUL. SO PEOPLE DONT WANT TO HEAR ABOUT SHOTS. OKAY, LETS GET THAT OUT THERE. BUT LETS START WITH THE FLU VACCINE. WHO SHOULD GET IT AND WHEN. YES. ED, I KNOW WERE JUST STARTING THE SUMMER SEASON. AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, AS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO PLAN AND WE WANT TO START BY TALKING ABOUT THE FLU. SO THE CDC RECOMMENDS THAT EVERYONE AGES SIX OVER SIX MONTHS, CAN GET THE FLU VACCINE. NOW, WE USUALLY START IN SEPTEMBER, ON OCTOBER. THOSE ARE THE RECOMMENDED TIMES. HOWEVER, I WILL SAY THE EXCEPTION ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE PREGNANT IN THEIR THIRD TRIMESTER AND WE WANT TO GET THEM VACCINATED IN JULY AND AUGUST SO THAT THEY CAN PROTECT THEIR BABIES AFTER BIRTH. OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER. THE TIME TO GET VACCINATED. OKAY. YOU KNOW, WERE ALSO GOING TO GET A NEW COVID 19 SHOT THIS FALL. WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING ABOUT THE CHANGES? SO JESSICA FOR THE NEW COVID VACCINE? WHAT I WILL SAY AGAIN, THE TIMELINE IS THE SAME IN THAT WE WANT AGES SIX MONTHS AND OLDER TO GET THE VACCINE. AND WHAT WE DO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW COVID VACCINE IS THAT ITS TARGETING THE NEWEST STRAIN THAT WE HAVE. SO RIGHT NOW ITS KP 0.2 VERSUS NOT THE OLDER ONE, WHICH IS NAUGHT POINT ONE. BOTTOM LINE, YOU DONT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE NAMES. JUST KNOW THAT THE NEW COVID VACCINES ARE GOING TO TARGET THE MOST DOMINANT STRAIN AT THIS TIME. SO SO DOCTOR WILDES, AS YOU KNOW, THE OTHER BIG WINTER VIRUS IS RSV. LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD A VACCINE THAT WAS AVAILABLE FOR ADULTS. SO WHO NEEDS TO GET IT? AND I ASSUME THOSE THAT DO SHOULD GET IT IN THE FALL. YES, WE DO GET IT IN THE FALL TOO, BUT JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER TO OUR VIEWERS IS THAT THE RSV VACCINE FOR ADULTS IS NOT AN ANNUAL VACCINE. SO JUST BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET CONFUSED WITH THAT. NOW WHAT THEY HAVE MADE SOME UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE RSV VACCINE. AND WHAT WE WANT IS FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT GET THE VACCINE LAST YEAR, THAT IF YOURE OVER AGE 75 OR IF YOURE 60 TO 74 AND YOURE AT RISK FOR SEVERE RSV BECAUSE YOU HAVE UNDERLYING LUNG DISEASE OR HEART DISEASE, OR IF YOU LIVE IN A NURSING HOME, THEN OF COURSE I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET VACCINATED, TO PROTECT NOT ON

CDC announcing new recommendations for vaccines this fall

Updated: 5:08 PM EDT Jun 28, 2024

Dr. Simone Wildes, infectious disease specialist at South Shore Health, talks about the importance of staying up to date on vaccines and which ones to look out for this fall.

Dr. Simone Wildes, infectious disease specialist at South Shore Health, talks about the importance of staying up to date on vaccines and which ones to look out for this fall.

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CDC announcing new recommendations for vaccines this fall - WCVB Boston

Flu is generally a health concern in the fall and winter, but this spring and summer, influenzaspecifically avian influenza, or bird fluis dominating headlines and weighing heavily on the minds of health experts.

H5N1 is infecting chickens in at least 48 U.S. states and cows in at least 12. So far, only three peopleall dairy workershave had recorded infections, but health officials are keeping a close eye on whether the virus is getting better at infecting humans. Preparing for that possibility includes readying a vaccine.

Here's what to knowalong with if, and when, you might be recommended to get immunized.

There are three. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved H5N1 vaccines made by Sanofi, GSK subsidiary ID Biomedical Corporation of Quebec (IDB), and CSL Seqirusall of which also make seasonal flu vaccines.

Most of these are made using traditional flu-shot technology, which takes months. Manufacturers first grow the virus in chicken eggs or mammalian cells, then purify the virus and include them in the vaccine.

Sanofi received the first license in 2007 for an H5N1 shot, using chicken-egg manufacturing. IDB's vaccine, approved for adults in 2013, is also egg-based and is the first against H5N1 to include an adjuvant, or an ingredient that generates a stronger immune response. CSL Seqirus shot also contains an adjuvant and was approved in 2020 for anyone 6 months or older. The company makes vaccines in two ways: by growing H5N1 in cells in its U.S. facility, and by growing it in eggs in its U.K. facility.

Read More: We Are Not Safe from Bird Flu Until We Protect Farmworkers

The approvals allowed all three companies to manufacture doses for the National Pre-Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Stockpile to have ready in case of a potential outbreak, but not to be sold for public use. The doses haven't yet been made available and only will be if there are bird flu outbreaks in humans, and health officials determine people need to be vaccinated.

The national stockpile now contains hundreds of thousands of doses of H5N1 vaccinemostly from Seqirusthat could be deployed in a matter of weeks, according to a spokesperson for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), the government organization that oversees preparedness for health emergencies. But the doses aren't necessarily ready to ship: the stockpile is more like a warehouse of vaccine components targeting different strains of H5N1, rather than a storage facility for final shots.

Before the vaccines can be released, they need to go through the final stages of production known as "fill and finish," and also receive an additional final clearance from the FDA. Working with authorities at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the FDA, and the manufacturers, the team at ASPR constantly evaluates the makeup of the stockpile to make sure there are enough materials to produce vaccines against the currently circulating strain.

Read More: How to Stop Bird Flu From Becoming the Next Pandemic

The U.S. government recently ordered an additional 4.8 million doses of the companys vaccine to include in the stockpile. According to spokesperson from the company, Seqirus plans to provide these during the summer in preparation for a potential outbreak in people.

It's still unclear how effective they would be, since there havent been enough people infected with H5N1 to conduct proper studies on how well they would protect against illness. But studies in healthy people analyzing the immune responses generated by the vaccines suggest that the shots should provide sufficient protection against illness from the currently circulating strain. In addition, the specific strain causing the current outbreak could differ slightly from the ones in the vaccines.

Seqirus is prepared to deliver 150 million additional doses within six months; those doses will be made from existing raw materials that are currently part of the stockpile and ready to be processed into finished vaccines.

Because a traditional flu shot takes months to make, CDC director Dr. Mandy Cohen said that the agency is continuing to invest in new technologies, especially ones that will lead to faster production of doses. The goal is to "have the ability to scale up extremely quickly, and we want do that with an mRNA platform which allows for faster manufacturing, she said at the Aspen Ideas: Health conference on June 21. During the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers were able to produce vaccines in about six-to-eight weeks using that technology, compared to the months it can take with egg- and cell-based platformsand they continue to deliver in that short time frame when updating the shots to target new variants.

Read More: A New Bird Flu Death Is Making Experts Uneasy

Several academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies are working on an mRNA H5N1 vaccine. Pfizer and Moderna are both in the early phases of testing their candidates.

For now, you can't, since all of the doses are contained in the national stockpile and have not been released. The CDC is monitoring the current outbreak in cattle and other mammals, as well as checking for H5N1 in wastewater to spot any signs that the virus is moving into people. If that occurs, health officials from various agencies are ready to release the necessary doses of vaccine from the stockpile.

The CDCs vaccine committee is meeting June 26 to June 28 to discuss H5N1 and what, if any, guidance the agency should provide with respect to H5N1 vaccination plans. Even if they decide vaccination is warranted, it likely won't immediately be for everyone. People at highest risk for bird flu exposure, such as dairy workers and health care workers, would probably be vaccinated first. Then those at high risk of complications from the flu, such as the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, might be next. Only if outbreaks become severe or widespread would other people be vaccinated as well.

The rest is here:

What You Need to Know About Bird Flu Vaccines - TIME

This is the only influenza-associated pediatric death reported for the 2023-2024 influenza season so far, according to the Maine CDC.

AUGUSTA, Maine The Maine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) announced Friday it has identified a child death associated with influenza.

According to a news release issued by the Maine CDC, this is the only influenza-associated pediatric death reported for the 2023-2024 influenza season so far.

The Maine CDC reported the child tested positive for influenza B Victoria.

Influenza is at its highest levels of circulation throughout the state between early October and mid-May, but that doesn't mean you can't catch it year-round.

Following the child's reported death, the Maine CDC is urging clinicians to encourage annual influenza vaccination in all children six months and older who don't have contradictions, remain aware that respiratory symptoms can be caused by the flu at any time of year, and consider flu testing and treatment in patients who have respiratory symptoms at any time of year.

"Influenza illness is more dangerous than the common cold for children," the release stated. "Each year, millions of children get sick with seasonal influenza; thousands of children are hospitalized, and some children die from influenza."

It's common for children to need medical care due to influenza, especially children who are younger than five. About 80 percent of children who die nationally because of the flu are not fully vaccinated, the Maine CDC said. Additionally, about half of influenza-related deaths occur in children who have no underlying medical problems.

"Getting vaccinated has been shown to reduce influenza illnesses, medical visits, missed school days, and the risk of influenza-related hospitalization and death in children," the release said. "Even if vaccinated children get sick, vaccination has been shown to reduce illness severity."

It's even more important for children under the age of five who have certain medical problems to receive flu vaccinations, as they are at a higher risk of developing serious influenza-related complications that can lead to hospitalization and death, according to the Maine CDC.

As of Friday, the Maine CDC said flu activity in Maine is low, but cases continue to be reported, especially of the influenza B Victoria strain in recent weeks.

The Maine CDC has reported flu-related deaths in six children since 2019, and the U.S. CDC has reported 609 flu-related deaths in children nationally within that same period.

"During the 20232024 influenza surveillance season, which ended May 18, 2024, Maine CDC followed up on 75 outbreaks of influenza, facilities reported over 663 individuals hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza, and influenza was listed as a cause of death on 53 death certificates," the release stated.

The Maine CDC recommends the following tips to help keep you and others safe from the flu:

Children under the age of 19 can receive a flu vaccine at no cost by the state. For more information, contact the Maine Immunization Program at 800-867-4775 or immunizeme.dhhs@maine.gov.

It's also important to consider available treatment options for influenza.

"Early antiviral treatment can reduce influenza morbidity and mortality," the release said. "Early antiviral treatment works best. Treatment may offer benefit when started up to 45 days after symptom onset in hospitalized patients."

Tamiflu, Relenza, Rapivab, and Xofluza are approved antivirals for influenza, according to the Maine CDC.

Parents should seek immediate medical care if their child is experiencing any of the following symptoms:

For more information about the flu, click here. To view Maine CDC's weekly influenza surveillance reports, click here.

Originally posted here:

Maine CDC reports influenza-related child death, urges importance of annual flu shot - NewsCenterMaine.com WCSH-WLBZ

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued recommendations on Thursday that nearly all Americans over 6 months old get an updated COVID-19 and flu shot this fall.

The CDC said that as soon as updated COVID-19 shots from Moderna, Novavax and Pfizer are available later this year, the public should get an updated vaccine, regardless of past vaccination status.

Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration provided updated guidance for COVID-19 vaccine makers, calling for them to formulate a shot that better targets more recent strains of the virus. The FDA said that fall 2024 COVID-19 vaccines should target the KP.2 variant of the virus, which is a descendant of the JN.1 variant that widely circulated throughout the U.S. during the winter.

Related story: COVID cases on the rise in 39 states, marking the start of an anticipated summer surge

Additionally, the CDC said that updated flu shots should be sought in September or October for most people. Pregnant people who are in their third trimester and children who need two doses of the flu vaccine could get a flu vaccine sooner. The CDC also said some people who are unable to get vaccinated in September or October should consider getting an updated flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available.

Our top recommendation for protecting yourself and your loved ones from respiratory illness is to get vaccinated, said Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the CDC. Make a plan now for you and your family to get both updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall, ahead of the respiratory virus season.

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CDC recommends updated COVID-19, flu shots this fall - Scripps News

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) endorsed new COVID-19 and influenza vaccines for the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season on Thursday.

In a unanimous 11-0 vote, the ACIP recommend that everyone 6 months of age and older should receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine, similar to last year's recommendation.

The committee also voted unanimously that everyone 6 months of age and older should receive an updated 2024-2025 influenza vaccine, with rare exceptions. Also, in another unanimous vote, members voted that high-dose inactivated (HD-IIV3) and adjuvanted inactivated (aIIV3) influenza vaccines are acceptable options for influenza vaccination in solid organ transplant recipients.

Shortly after the meeting, CDC Director Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, endorsed the recommendations.

In a final unanimous vote, members recommended that the new 21-valent pneumococcal vaccine (PCV21; Capvaxive) is an option for adults ages 19 years and older who currently have a recommendation to receive a dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Clinical recommendations that explain the different options of pneumococcal vaccines will be forthcoming, committee members said.

COVID Vaccines

The most recent data, presented at the meeting, indicate that COVID-19 continues to take a significant toll on adults ages 65 and older and young infants. According to CDC data, more than 916,300 people were hospitalized in 2023 due to COVID-19 and more than 75,500 people died of COVID-19.

From October 2023 through May 2024, population-based hospitalization rates among adults ages 75 and older were about 800-900 per 100,000 population -- more than three times as high as among adults ages 65 to 74, Fiona Havers, MD, MHS, of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told committee members. "Rates among adults ages 65 to 74 and infants less than 6 months of age have roughly equal rates," she pointed out.

American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, and Black populations were also more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 than whites during that time period.

Adults ages 65 and older during that period comprised 82% of all in-hospital deaths, Havers noted.

Waning patterns of the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in preventing critical illness appeared to be similar to previous vaccine formulations, reported Ruth Link-Gelles, PhD, MPH, of the CDC. For example, vaccine effectiveness in preventing hospitalization in adults decreased over time from about 49% at 7 to 59 days after vaccination to 14% at 120 to 179 days.

"I think it's really important to keep in mind that this should be interpreted as incremental or additional effectiveness in a population with a lot of underlying immunity," Link-Gelles said, pointing to the fact that the majority of the population has had at least one COVID-19 infection along with multiple vaccinations.

Earlier in June, an FDA advisory committee voted unanimously to recommend that the COVID-19 vaccines for the 2024-2025 season target a JN.1 lineage of the virus, though FDA recently advised vaccine makers to be even more specific and target its descendent KP.2 if possible. Updated COVID-19 vaccines will be available from Moderna, Novavax, and Pfizer later this year. ACIP's recommendation will take effect as soon as the new vaccines are available, the CDC said.

Influenza Vaccines

The committee reaffirmed that most individuals 6 months of age and older should receive an influenza vaccine. All influenza vaccines for the 2024-2025 season will be trivalent, and will protect against an H1N1, H3N2, and a B/Victoria lineage virus. The composition of this season's vaccine compared with last season's has also been updated with a new influenza A(H3N2) virus.

In addition, the committee voted unanimously to recommend high-dose inactivated (HD-IIV3) and adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccines as options for solid organ transplant recipients ages 18 through 64 who are receiving immunosuppressive medication regimens, without a preference over another age-appropriate IIV3 or RIV3.

Solid organ transplant recipients require lifelong immunosuppressive medications, making lower respiratory infections more severe, with high hospitalization, mechanical ventilation, and mortality rates. "We believe that transplant patients really suffer from a lack of good protection from the lower standard dose [influenza] vaccine," commented ACIP member Camille Kotton, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, noting however that the high-dose influenza vaccine is not covered by insurance for many people with solid organ transplants because of age restrictions.

"We've been in a situation where we have to fill out prior authorizations every single time you want to give an influenza vaccine. We're hoping that if we voted in favor of this change, that it would enhance equity and protection for this vulnerable population," she said.

Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines

In a final vote of the day, the committee unanimously voted to recommend the new 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV21) as an option for adults ages 19 years or older who are already eligible to receive a dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

The vaccine recently received FDA approval for preventing invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal pneumonia in adults ages 18 and older. Based on epidemiologic data from the CDC, the serotypes included in the vaccine together cause roughly 84% of the cases of invasive pneumococcal disease in adults 50 and older. By comparison, the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) covers the serotypes responsible for 52% of cases in this age group. The single-dose vaccine contains eight unique serotypes that are not covered by other available vaccines (15A, 15C, 16F, 23A, 23B, 24F, 31, and 35B).

The ACIP's Pneumococcal Vaccines Work Group agreed that available evidence supported the use of PCV21 for adults ages 19 or older who already have a recommendation to receive a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. However, despite the FDA approval for adults ages 50 and up, the Work Group could not reach a consensus on whether the current age-based recommendation for PCV21 should be lowered from adults ages 65 or older to adults 50 or older, without a risk-based indication.

The committee did not recommend use of PCV21 among adults ages 19 to 49 who currently do not have a risk-based pneumococcal vaccine indication.

Currently, the CDC recommends the PCV15 or PCV20 for adults who never received a PCV and are ages 65 years or older, or ages 19 through 64 with certain risk conditions. If PCV15 is used, it should be followed by a dose of PPSV23. Adults who received an earlier PCV (e.g., PCV7 or PCV13) should talk with a vaccine provider to consider available options to complete the pneumococcal vaccine series. Adults 65 or older have the option to get PCV20 if they have already received PCV13 (but not PCV15 or PCV20) at any age and PPSV23 at or after the age of 65. These adults can talk with a vaccine provider and decide, together, whether to get PCV20.

Current recommendations for the pneumococcal vaccines are "just confusing," James Loehr, MD, chair of the Pneumococcal Vaccines Work Group group, told committee members. Despite acknowledging that lowering the eligible age for the PCV21 vaccine to age 50 would improve vaccine equity, "We were also torn by the confusion that would be in place if we lowered the recommendation for PCV21 to age 50, but not for PCV20, because then we would have three recommendations for people in their 50s," he said.

The ACIP plans to revisit this issue at their October 2024 meeting.

All recommendations from ACIP are not considered final until published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Katherine Kahn is a staff writer at MedPage Today, covering the infectious diseases beat. She has been a medical writer for over 15 years.

Disclosures

Havers, Link-Gelles, Kotton, and Loehr reported no conflicts of interest.

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CDC Advisors Back Updated COVID, Flu Vaccines for the Fall - Medpage Today

The UK government has ordered tens of thousands of doses of a bird flu vaccine to boost immunity against the deadly H5N1 virus.

This comes after the European Commission signed a deal for 40 million doses of a bird flu vaccine. Finland has also announced it will be the first country to administer bird flu vaccines to people, with farm workers receiving two jabs from next month.

Although the risk to humans is currently classified as "low" because the virus can only be passed on from affected animals, said the i news site, the move "marks a stepping-up of readiness" for a "possible new pandemic" if the virus makes the "genetic leap" to human-to-human transmission.

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A former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told NewsNation that "it's not a question of if, it's a question of when" a bird flu pandemic will break out. And two flu experts warned in the British Medical Journal that "the risk of a major outbreak" is "large, plausible and imminent".

With the Covid pandemic still fresh in our minds, we "must take steps now" to "minimise the number of times we roll the dice on a new pandemic", said Dr Thom Rawson, a maths modeller from Imperial College London, in The Telegraph.

Between 2003 and 2022 there were 868 reported cases of human infection with the "particularly nasty" H5N1 variant, which is currently sweeping through the US dairy industry. The "alarming" 53% human mortality rate shows that "something needs to be done", but "exactly what isn't so simple".

"In an ideal world," Dr Jayna Raghwani, a biologist from the UK's Royal Veterinary College, told the BBC, there would be more surveillance for the virus close to farms.

We could "do more general monitoring of wildlife close to places we know outbreaks are occurring and more in domestic animals," she said, "to better understand how the virus changes between species."

Reducing flock sizes would be impossible because of current demand levels, and giving birds more space to reduce the threat of infection would require "sheds as big as Windsor Castle", said Rawson. Enhanced biosecurity measures are already in place.

But as consumers we can "educate ourselves more on exactly what the stickers on chicken carcasses mean" and choose products with labels that "indicate a greater level of oversight into bird health while rearing". If "consumers demonstrate a willingness to pay for those increased costs associated" more suppliers will "adopt" the practices.

The UK government agency risk assessment still regards outbreaks among humans not linked to contact with infected birds or animals as between "highly unlikely" (10-20%) and "unlikely" (25-35%).

This rating is "still a long way off" from level 6, when there would be sustained human-to-human transmission, the point at which the government would have to make official public health announcements to the population, said inews.

But the "good news" is that, unlike when Covid first emerged, there are already tailored vaccines in production, so if there were an outbreak in the UK, jabs would be "rolled out quickly".

Summing up the danger, Dr Ed Hutchinson, from the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, told the BBC that "it's not February 2020" but the threat "does demand our close attention".

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How prepared are we for human bird flu? - The Week