...there are some new tools to help this respiratory virus season: over-the-counter tests that can identify whether an illness is Covid-19 or influenza.
A large study of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that, during the 2022 to 2023 season, having COVID-19 was associated with more severe disease outcomes than flu or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. Differences became less pronounced, however, during the 2023 to 2024 season.
...In terms of its effectiveness in preventing deaths, our analysis of the data shows that influenza vaccination is able to reduce infection-associated mortality by half overall, including H3N2 infections.
In its regular weekly snapshot on respiratory virus activity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that illness levels remain high, mainly due to impacts from the flu season.
Flu activity remains high in most regions of the U.S. as a winter wave of respiratory illness sweeps across the country. The post-holiday surge in flu cases and hospitalizations is straining many hospitals, leading to overflowing emergency rooms and prompting some facilities to limit patient visitors.
This trend is expected to continue for the several more weeks, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its latest FluView weekly surveillance report for the week ending Jan. 11.
