Category: Flu Virus

The California Department of Public Health is urging Californians to get immunized against a triple-threat of viruses that are expected to surge in the coming months.

Rates of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are expected to spike in the late fall and winter months as more people gather indoors, and as fewer people are getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

But a shortage of RSV antibody doses this season has federal and state health officials shifting their guidance to include more vaccinations for pregnant women during certain periods of their pregnancies.

Vaccination rates for COVID-19 are much lower compared to the past two years. The vaccines were previously free for patients, with the cost paid by the federal government, but are now on the commercial market. Those without health insurance can still access free vaccines through a state program called My Turn, which can be accessed at myturn.ca.gov.

Dr. Tomas Aragon, the state's public health officer, said during a virtual press conference Thursday that vaccination rates have been lower among Californians with lower incomes, and among certain racial and ethnic groups.

About 4.6% of the state's population is up to date on the COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 75% of the state that was fully vaccinated at the height of the pandemic. White Californians are currently vaccinated at a rate of 6.7%, while Black Californians have a rate of 2.7% and Latinos have a 1.5% rate.

Aragon recommended anyone older than 6 months to get a COVID and a flu shot.

The current COVID-19 vaccinations only require one dose, rather than needing a booster, with the exception of the Novavax vaccine, which received emergency-use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this month.

There is revised guidance for the flu vaccine for people with egg allergies who were previously cautioned against the shot. Now, people with egg allergies are encouraged to get the shot like everyone else, unless they have had an adverse reaction in the past, Aragon said.

More than 4,600 Californians died from the flu in 2021, the last full year the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published data for.

"October is a perfect time to get vaccinated against influenza so you have enough time to build up immunity, so as influenza picks up, you'll be protected," Aragon said.

Protection against RSV can come in the form of a vaccine for older adults and pregnant women, and immunization through antibodies for infants and children. There is currently a shortage of a newly developed antibody treatment from Sanofi and AstraZeneca, Beyfortus (nirsevimab-alip), across the country, prompting the CDC to issue a health advisory Monday recommending rationing the supply.

The state's public health department is encouraging women who are between 32-36 weeks pregnant to get the vaccine as a way to transmit immunity to the fetus that lasts about six months after birth.

Newborns and toddlers between birth and 19 months old are at the highest risk of severe RSV, along with adults older than 65.

Aragon recommended wearing masks, washing your hands, and staying home when sick as prevention methods.

More information on the differences and availability of vaccines can be found at vaccines.org.

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State health officials urge vaccination for flu and COVID for everyone ... - Pleasanton Weekly

Key Takeaways

Most people who get infected with COVID nowadays may experience symptoms that are not so different from earlier iterations of the virus, including cough, sore throat, fever, and runny nose.

While less common, you may also want to be on the lookout for symptoms affecting your skin. For some people, skin issues such as rashes may be the only indication of a COVID infection, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD). But any instances of rash are not considered a new COVID symptom, and experts arent convinced COVID is always the cause of rash occurring alongside it.

Rash associated with COVID-19 is not a new thing, Susan McLellan, MD, MPH, medical director of the Biocontainment Care Unit and director of Biosafety for Research-related Infectious Pathogens at UTMB Health, told Verywell in an email. Its important to understand that respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses which circulated prior to SARS-CoV-2, frequently produce mild rashes, with or without notable respiratory symptoms.

COVID rashes can appear in many different ways. They may range from itchy bumps and blotches to a web-like rash or even involve a little skin peeling, Linda Yancey, MD, infectious disease specialist, Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, told Verywell in an email.

The AAD reports rashes can also appear as a patchy rash, blisters that look like chickenpox, round, pinpoint spots on the skin, large patches with smaller ones, a lace-like pattern on the skin, or even flat spots and raised bumps that join together.

Its important to recognize that COVID rash symptoms can vary significantly from one individual to another, David Cutler, MD, family medicine physician at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California, told Verywell.

The particular way a rash appears probably has the most to do not with the infection, but with the bodys immune reaction that human beings will elicit, he said. That will have a great bearing on what a rash looks like, rather than the infection agent itselfwhether its a cold virus, a flu virus, scarlet fever, or COVID.

He added that a persons age, race, and underlying skin problems impact how a rash appears, too.

In general, COVID rashes can appear on any part of the body, Yancey said, though they tend to manifest on the hands, feet/toes, chest, stomach, or back.

Since COVID-related rashes can appear in many different ways, its often difficult to determine if a rash is directly caused by COVID or if its coincidental and caused by something else during the infection, Yancey said. In fact, Cutler added there are no particular tests that can confirm if rashes are caused by COVID.

According to Yancey, several viral illnesses are associated with rash, such as chickenpox, measles, and shingles.

They are most likely a side effect of the immune response to the infection itself, she said.

Higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin E, also known as IgE, might also be responsible for COVID-related rashes, Cutler said. This is common in people with allergies; the immune system overreacts to an allergen by producing IgE antibodies, creating an allergic reaction (like a rash) as a side effect.

IgE latches onto immune cells. An infectious agent like COVID causes cells containing IgE to release chemicalsone of which is histamine, causing a rash, Cutler said.

Other types of antibodies, such as immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM), may also react with COVID to cause a rash, he added.

In general, more research is needed to determine how and why COVID rashes occur.

Yancey said patients with underlying dermatologic or autoimmune issues may have a higher likelihood of developing a rash in response to an infection because their immune systems may react more sensitively to the infection. Generally, anyone who is immunocompromised may also be at risk for more severe symptoms.

However, Cutler and McLellan said theres not enough data to suggest which groups are most at risk of developing a rash.

There are millions of people who get COVID every day who dont get a rash, and I dont know if theres anything unique about the people that do get COVID rashes, Cutler said. You cant just draw conclusions from the very select group of people that are being seen that have COVID rashes because it represents a fairly small minority of those people with COVID. Most people with COVID dont get any rash whatsoever.

Although COVID patients can develop a rash, Yancey said that such occurrences are relatively rare and uncommon.

Cutler added that rashes have not become any more prevalent than they were previously with earlier variants, and no studies have documented an increased occurrence.

The main evidence of COVID rashes are anecdotal reports, McLellan said, making it challenging to determine the true prevalence of COVID-related rashes.

We have no way of knowing prevalence; whether COVID rash is more common or just more talked about is impossible to tell, McLellan said. When you are dealing with social media, sometimes topics just take off.

NOTE: Out of the six healthcare providers contacted by Verywell, four responded and reported that they have not observed any increase in COVID-related rashes.

Most viral rashes are very short-lived, meaning they should fade away in a few days to a couple of weeks, Yancey said. The ADA reports rashes typically last anywhere from 2 and 12 days with most people having a rash for 8 days. However, if you have a rash that has been present for over two weeks, you should see your primary care provider or a board-certified dermatologist.

The primary thing that can cure the viral rash is time. However, there are some measures you can take to ease rash-related symptoms like itching, dryness, or flaking.

According to McLellan and Cutler, these remedies include:

If rash-like symptoms do not improve, seek care from your primary care provider or dermatologist.

If you have COVID, you may experience skin-related symptoms like rashes. However, experts say that COVID-related skin issues are relatively uncommon. Typically, these rashes should resolve within a few days to weeks, but if they persist beyond this timeframe, experts recommend reaching out to a board-certified dermatologist or your primary care provider.

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

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Is Rash Becoming a More Common Symptom of COVID? - Verywell Health

St. Luke's introduces new immunizations against flu, COVID-19 and RSV

by CBS2 News Staff

St. Luke's (CBS2 file)

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2)

According to a recent news release from St. Luke's, during the fall and winter seasons, the spread of respiratory viruses increases, including flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

Last year, COVID-19, the flu and RSV activity peaked in November, December and January in Idaho, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. St. Luke's and Idaho health authorities urge everyone who can to get the appropriate immunizations to safeguard their health and the health of the community.

The release says RSV causes acute respiratory tract infections in people of all ages and can cause severe illness and even death in infants and children with certain health conditions. Approximately 58,000-80,000 children under the age of 5 and up to 3% of children in their first year of life are hospitalized due to RSV infection each year in the United States.

Here are St. Luke's immunization options for the flu, COVID-19 and RSV.

This year, the CDC recommended new immunizations to protect against severe RSV. St. Luke's will begin administering the RSV vaccine, Abrysvo, on Nov. 1, 2023.

RSV vaccine Abrysvo for adults over 60:

RSV vaccine Abrysvo for unborn babies:

Beyfortus RSV antibody immunization for babies:

Find up-to-date information at http://www.cdc.gov/rsv.

An updated COVID-19 vaccine is formulated for better protection against newer circulating COVID-19 strains. St. Luke's began administering the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, Oct. 24, to adults ages 19 years and older. Schedule in MyChart.

You can get a flu shot at local retail pharmacies, your primary care provider, St. Luke's or other local health care providers. To get your flu shot at a St. Luke's Clinic, schedule an appointment through MyChart. If you are not registered for MyChart, sign up today. You can also make an appointment by calling your primary care provider.

Many respiratory viruses can be contagious even before symptoms start, so practicing good hygiene at all times can help prevent disease spread. You can protect yourself and others by:

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St. Luke's introduces new immunizations against flu, COVID-19 and RSV - Idaho News

Bird flu outbreaks affect more than 330,000 turkeys in Minnesota

A recent spike in avian flu continues a more than a year-long battle against the virus that has affected millions of birds.

Just in the month of October, more than 330,000 birds, across 11 flocks, in seven counties have been impacted by bird flu. It adds to the outbreak that started in 2022.

From the start of the outbreak, which was March of 2022, was when Minnesota had its first case, weve had about 5 million birds that have been affected by the disease, Dr. Shauna Voss, with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, said.

Despite all the sick birds, Dr. Voss says the turkey on your dinner table is still safe to eat.

No infected birds [get] processed and people should have confidence that a turkey, cooked properly, is still safe to eat, Dr. Voss said.

The animal board keeps a dashboard highlighting this outbreak.

Its an outbreak that turkey farmers are hoping ends soon but they are prepared for the long haul.

I hate to say [it, but] its getting to be the typical fall outbreak, John Zimmerman, of Zimmerman Turkey Farm, said.

His farm sits just southeast of Northfield, somewhat of an ideal location to avoid the virus due to not being close to any major body of water.

Theres a mental and emotional toll on the growers that have to depopulate the birds, but on an industry as a whole, this wont affect supplies for Thanksgiving, this wont affect the price of Turkey much at all, Zimmerman said.

Zimmermans barns have been spared thus far and he hopes this outbreak ends soon due to the migratory season ending soon those birds are the main driver of the virus.

From the rocks around his barn to keep virus-carrying critters out to the biosecurity technology, hes taken steps to ensure hes ready in case its here to stay and adds there are possible advancements down the line that could help too.

Whether that means we look harder at vaccinations, or possibly some gene editing in the future, or even more stringent biosecurity, were going to have to look at different options at how to remain in business and deal with this virus because its not going away, Zimmerman said.

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Bird flu spikes as major outbreak continues, but shouldn't have big ... - KSTP

Test tubes labelled "Bird Flu" and eggs are seen in this picture illustration, January 14, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights

PARIS, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Romania and Bulgaria have reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza among poultry, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Friday, as Europe faces a seasonal upturn in the deadly disease.

The spread of avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, has raised concerns among governments and the poultry industry after it ravaged flocks around the world in recent years, disrupting supply, fuelling higher food prices and raising the risk of human transmission.

In Romania, the H5N1 virus was detected in a flock of 120 backyard poultry in the village of Tiganesti near the border with Bulgaria, causing the death of 28 birds, the Paris-based WOAH said, citing a report from the Romanian authorities.

Bulgaria, meanwhile, reported earlier this week outbreaks of an H5-type bird flu virus on two poultry farms, WOAH said in a separate notice.

One outbreak in Malko Konare in the Pazardzhik region killed 380 birds out of a flock of 171,911, while another outbreak in Debelets in the region of Veliko Tarnovo killed 5,420 out of 395,045 farm poultry, WOAH said, quoting details from the Bulgarian authorities.

The intergovernmental body last week reported that Poland, the European Union's largest poultry producer, had detected H5N1 bird flu virus among poultry in the north of the country.

Reporting by Gus Trompiz Editing by Chris Reese and Bill Berkrot

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Romania and Bulgaria report bird flu as Europe faces new wave of virus - Reuters

This story originally appeared in The Guardian and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

Avian flu has reached the Antarctic, raising concerns for isolated populations of penguins and seals that have never been exposed to the deadly H5N1 virus before. The full impact of the viruss arrival is not yet known, but scientists are raising concerns about possible catastrophic breeding failure of the regions fragile wildlife populations.

The virus was found in populations of a scavenging bird called brown skua on Bird Island, which is part of the British overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. These migratory birds probably brought it with them from South America where bird flu is widespread and has already killed an estimated 500,000 seabirds and 20,000 sea lions in Chile and Peru alone.

The current outbreak of the highly infectious variant of H5N1which started in 2021is estimated to have killed millions of wild birds. Researchers have long been concerned about its potential impact on Antarctic wildlife, because many species are found nowhere else in the world, and are not known to have been exposed to bird flu viruses before.

Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) took swabs of the birds when they found unexplained mortality and sent them for testing in the United Kingdom.

Ashley Bennison, the BAS science manager for Bird Island, said: This is a particularly sad event to confirm. We will continue to monitor the species on the island as best as we can and keep the science going, but we are unsure of the full impact at the moment.

Bird Island is considered one of the planets richest wildlife sites, home to many endangered bird species as well as 50,000 pairs of breeding penguins and 65,000 pairs of fur seals. The island lies just off the northwest tip of South Georgia, about 600 miles south-east of the Falkland Islands.

A risk assessment on the impacts of bird flu reaching the continent, published by Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, said fur seals, sea lions, skuas and gulls were the most at risk, followed by penguins, birds of prey, sheathbills and giant petrels.

Dr. Meagan Dewar, the chair of the Antarctic Wildlife Health Networkwho was the lead author of the reportsaid that the disease could result in catastrophic breeding failure in the region, with a devastating impact on many wildlife species.

The report states that ongoing disease surveillance programmes should be established to identify new and emerging pathogens.

H5N1 spread almost 4,000 miles down South America in the space of three months, facilitated by migration routes of wild birds. The fact it had already spread down South America made it likely it would arrive in South Georgia at some point, researchers say.

As a result of the positive tests on Bird Island, most field work that involves animal handling has been suspended. Staff will have to be extra vigilant about ensuring they have clean clothing and field equipment.

The news follows recent research that showed some seabirds in the UKwhere the outbreak was first reportedare starting to show immunity to H5N1.

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Bird Flu Reaches the Antarctic for the First Time - WIRED

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infections were more common and linked to more severe outcomes than influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in emergency department (ED) patients in Sweden, especially among those unvaccinated against COVID-19.

The findings were published yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Karolinska Institutet researchers assessed rates of 30-day all-cause death, hospitalization, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission of adults seen in six EDs in Stockholm County for Omicron, flu, or RSV infection in 2021-2022 and 2015-2019. Of 6,385 patients in 2021-2022, 76% were infected with Omicron, 17% had flu, and 7% had RSV.

In total, 22.1% of Omicron patients were unvaccinated against COVID-19 before their ED visit, while 75% had received at least two doses.

Thirty-day death rates were 7.9% in the Omicron group, 2.5% in flu patients, and 6.0% in the RSV group. Omicron patients' adjusted death odds ratio (OR) was 2.36 compared with flu and 1.42 compared with RSV. Stronger links were seen in unvaccinated Omicron patients relative to flu (OR, 5.51) and RSV (OR, 3.29).

Death rates at 30 days were 15% among Omicron patients aged 75 years or older, compared with 8% in the 2021-2022 flu group, 12% in the 2021-2022 RSV cohort, 7% among 5,709 prepandemic flu patients, and 9% among 955 prepandemic RSV patients. Among Omicron patients who received at least two COVID-19 vaccine doses, the OR for death was 2.00 compared with flu and 1.20 compared with RSV.

This underscores the need for public health strategies for managing and mitigating the impact of Omicron and other viral respiratory infections, with continued assessments of their comparative severity.

Ninety-day mortality was 11% among Omicron patients, 3.7% in 2021-2022 flu patients, 8.7% in 2021-2022 RSV patients, 5.1% in the prepandemic flu group, and 9.6% in prepandemic RSV patients.

In 2021-2022, 30-day mortality was 2.6% for influenza A patients; none of the 17 influenza B patients died. From 2015 to 2019, 30-day mortality was 3.2% in influenza A patients and 3.8% in influenza B patients.

"This underscores the need for public health strategies for managing and mitigating the impact of Omicron and other viral respiratory infections, with continued assessments of their comparative severity," the authors wrote.

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Quick takes: Slight US flu rise, more global polio, avian flu strikes ... - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infections were more common and linked to more severe outcomes than influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in emergency department (ED) patients in Sweden, especially among those unvaccinated against COVID-19.

The findings were published yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Karolinska Institutet researchers assessed rates of 30-day all-cause death, hospitalization, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission of adults seen in six EDs in Stockholm County for Omicron, flu, or RSV infection in 2021-2022 and 2015-2019. Of 6,385 patients in 2021-2022, 76% were infected with Omicron, 17% had flu, and 7% had RSV.

In total, 22.1% of Omicron patients were unvaccinated against COVID-19 before their ED visit, while 75% had received at least two doses.

Thirty-day death rates were 7.9% in the Omicron group, 2.5% in flu patients, and 6.0% in the RSV group. Omicron patients' adjusted death odds ratio (OR) was 2.36 compared with flu and 1.42 compared with RSV. Stronger links were seen in unvaccinated Omicron patients relative to flu (OR, 5.51) and RSV (OR, 3.29).

Death rates at 30 days were 15% among Omicron patients aged 75 years or older, compared with 8% in the 2021-2022 flu group, 12% in the 2021-2022 RSV cohort, 7% among 5,709 prepandemic flu patients, and 9% among 955 prepandemic RSV patients. Among Omicron patients who received at least two COVID-19 vaccine doses, the OR for death was 2.00 compared with flu and 1.20 compared with RSV.

This underscores the need for public health strategies for managing and mitigating the impact of Omicron and other viral respiratory infections, with continued assessments of their comparative severity.

Ninety-day mortality was 11% among Omicron patients, 3.7% in 2021-2022 flu patients, 8.7% in 2021-2022 RSV patients, 5.1% in the prepandemic flu group, and 9.6% in prepandemic RSV patients.

In 2021-2022, 30-day mortality was 2.6% for influenza A patients; none of the 17 influenza B patients died. From 2015 to 2019, 30-day mortality was 3.2% in influenza A patients and 3.8% in influenza B patients.

"This underscores the need for public health strategies for managing and mitigating the impact of Omicron and other viral respiratory infections, with continued assessments of their comparative severity," the authors wrote.

Continue reading here:

Pfizer and BioNTech report positive findings for COVID-flu mRNA ... - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The California Department of Public Health is urging Californians to get immunized against a triple threat of viruses that are expected to surge in the coming months.

Rates of COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, are expected to spike in the late fall and winter months as more people gather indoors, and as fewer people are getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

But a shortage of RSV antibody doses this season has federal and state health officials shifting their guidance to include more vaccinations for pregnant women during certain periods of their pregnancies.

Vaccination rates for COVID-19 are much lower compared to the past two years. The vaccines were previously free for patients, with the cost paid by the federal government, but are now on the commercial market. Those without health insurance can still access free vaccines through a state program called My Turn, which can be accessed at myturn.ca.gov.

Dr. Tomas Aragon, the state's public health officer, said during a virtual press conference Thursday that vaccination rates have been lower among Californians with lower incomes, and among certain racial and ethnic groups.

About 4.6 percent of the state's population is up to date on the COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 75 percent of the state that was fully vaccinated at the height of the pandemic. White Californians are currently vaccinated at a rate of 6.7 percent, while Black Californians have a rate of 2.7 percent and Latinos have a 1.5 percent rate.

COVID-19 infections have come down in the state after a brief summer surge. Statewide, there were 610,381 people newly hospitalized with coronavirus between Aug. 20 and Oct. 14, an average of 248 per day. The state recorded over 104,000 deaths from COVID-19 from Aug. 1 to Sept. 25, an average of 19 per day, according to the state's COVID-19 tracker.

Aragon recommended anyone older than 6 months to get a COVID and a flu shot.

The current COVID-19 vaccinations only require one dose, rather than needing a booster, with the exception of the Novavax vaccine, which received emergency-use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this month.

There is revised guidance for the flu vaccine for people with egg allergies who were previously cautioned against the shot. Now, people with egg allergies are encouraged to get the shot like everyone else, unless they have had an adverse reaction in the past, Aragon said.

More than 4,600 Californians died from the flu in 2021, the last full year the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published data for.

"October is a perfect time to get vaccinated against influenza so you have enough time to build up immunity, so as influenza picks up, you'll be protected," Aragon said.

Protection against RSV can come in the form of a vaccine for older adults and pregnant women, and immunization through antibodies for infants and children. There is currently a shortage of a newly developed antibody treatment from Sanofi and AstraZeneca, Beyfortus (nirsevimab-alip), across the country, prompting the CDC to issue a health advisory Monday recommending rationing the supply.

The state's public health department is encouraging women who are between 32-36 weeks pregnant to get the vaccine as a way to transmit immunity to the fetus that lasts about six months after birth.

Newborns and toddlers between birth and 19 months old are at the highest risk of severe RSV, along with adults older than 65.

Aragon recommended wearing masks, washing your hands, and staying home when sick as prevention methods.

More information on the differences and availability of vaccines can be found at vaccines.org.

Read the rest here:

Triple threat of COVID, flu, RSV has California health officials urging vaccinations - CBS San Francisco

Iowa health officials announce first flu death of the season

by IOWA'S NEWS NOW

FLU SHOT FILE IMAGE

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services says the flu and other respiratory viruses are going around the state.

HHS announced the first influenza-related death of the season on Friday as an older adult, (61 to 80 years), from southern Iowa.

Iowas most recent Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report shows the virus at a low level of activity, and hospitals are currently reporting low patient admission rates.

But even though it's low right now, there's a few things you can do to keep you and your family healthy this fall and winter.

HHS says vaccination is important, because it protects from serious illness and death from respiratory diseases like flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

They're encouraging Iowans to talk to their doctor or other trusted health care provider about vaccines, especially if you have a chronic health condition that could put you at higher risk for serious illness.

Additional Tips to Stay Healthy:

Iowans with questions about vaccines should speak to their health care provider. You can find healthcare providers with vaccines at https://www.vaccines.gov/.

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Iowa health officials announce first flu death of the season - KGAN TV