Viruses & Vaccinations

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💉 Vaccine hesitancy on the rise in Dallas-Fort Worth

Data: CDC; Map: Axios Visuals A growing number of Dallas-Fort Worth parents have been opting out of vaccines for religious or personal reasons. Why it matters: While official data lags, public health experts tell Axios anecdotal reports suggest vaccination rates continue to fall, leaving the population more vulnerable to outbreaks. Zoom in: About 3.5% of Texas kindergartners had vaccine exemptions in the 2022-23 school year, more than the national median of 3.3%, per the CDC. In Dallas County, 2.6% of kindergarteners in 2022-23 were exempted from vaccines for religious or personal beliefs, compared to 0.84% in 2013-14, per state health department data. In Tarrant County, exemptions increased from 1.5% in 2013-14 to 4.4% in 2022-23. How it works: Texas grants exemptions if a vaccine isn't safe for the student, the student is in the military or the student's religious or personal beliefs oppose immunization. A parent or legal guardian can request an affidavit to ask for an exemption from required vaccines. Threat level: Parents aren't just opting out of well-known childhood shots against measles, mumps and rubella known as MMR. They're also turning down vaccines against whooping cough, chicken pox, meningitis and the flu, Tom Lacy of Nemours Children's Health says. A 95% vaccination rate is needed to maintain herd immunity against a disease like measles, Lacy says. Yes, but: It's not just hesitancy — "a perfect storm" of factors like physician shortages and pharmacy closures are putting a drag on vaccination rates, says FarmboxRx CEO Ashley Tyrner. What's next: New COVID-19 vaccine boosters are being rolled out to local pharmacies.

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It’s time to roll up sleeves for new COVID, flu shots

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fall means it’s time for just about everybody to get up to date on their flu and COVID-19 vaccines – and a lot of older adults also need protection against another risky winter virus, RSV.

https://apnews.com/article/covid19-flu-rsv-vaccines-shots-ad33f4fe23f4c293ab87415b6449d9ad?

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Bird flu

 

Two California farmworkers tested positive for bird flu, the CDC confirmed Thursday, making them the first presumptive positive cases in humans in the state. The two worked on different dairy farms in California's Central Valley and both farms had cattle known to be positive for H5N1 avian influenza. Health officials say the risk to the general public remains low. Still, they are watching this virus closely because each time it infects a new human host, it can change in ways that may allow it to better adapt to people. If that occurs, there are fears it could spark a wider outbreak. With these additions, there have been 16 cases of avian flu in humans in the US since March; most of them have been connected to ongoing poultry and dairy cattle outbreaks.

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Don’t wait for a holiday surge. Now is a good time to get your flu and COVID-19 vaccines

WASHINGTON (AP) — If you missed the early fall push for flu and COVID-19 vaccines, it’s not too late.

https://apnews.com/article/flu-covid-vaccine-thanksgiving-christmas-c44d008754ef95b78761d218d9ab77da?

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💉 Unvaccinated kindergartners

Data: CDC. Chart: Sara Wise/Axios The share of kindergartners with vaccine exemptions has more than doubled in the past decade, from 1.6% to 3.3%, according to the CDC. The number of kindergartners attending school without documentation of completing the measles, mumps and rubella series was about 280,000 during the 2023-24 school year.

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💉 Fewer kids getting flu shots

Data: CDC. Map: Alex Fitzpatrick/Axios Kids' flu vaccinations are down significantly across the U.S., Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick reports from new CDC data. Roughly 37% of kids nationwide have their flu shots for the 2024-25 season so far — down about 7 percentage points from the same time last year. About 54% of kids got their flu shot by the end of the last flu season, down from 62% the year before. 😷 Why it matters: Flu shots appear to be getting swept up in a broader wave of post-COVID vaccine skepticism. The CDC reported 200 pediatric flu-related deaths in the 2023-24 season — a record high for a non-pandemic flu year. Go deeper.

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Do You Have the Flu, RSV, COVID, or a Cold?

Winter is upon us, and with it may come runny noses, coughing, and congestion. But how do you know if you have just a common cold or one of the three respiratory viruses that make up the “tripledemic” – RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), COVID-19, and influenza? 

https://symptoms.webmd.com/cold-flu-map/features/cm/flu-rsv-covid-cold-signs?

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How Long Am I Contagious?

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/ss/slideshow-how-long-contagious?

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Oregon house cat died after eating pet food that tested positive for bird flu

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon house cat died after eating pet food that tested positive for bird flu, Oregon authorities said, prompting a recall of raw frozen pet food that was sold nationwide.

https://apnews.com/article/cat-pet-food-bird-flu-oregon-recall-06e944714a3e703cf4913f88533c6a33?

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Norovirus cases are surging in parts of the US, CDC data shows

Cases of a wretched stomach bug are surging in parts of the United States this winter, according to government data.

https://apnews.com/article/norovirus-outbreak-stomach-virus-78e4a5f3c55d0af68f0c9e115c2369e5?

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Winter virus season

Cases of respiratory illness, Covid-19 and seasonal flu are increasing in most parts of the US, according to the CDC. Emergency room visits for flu and the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, are very high. While Covid-19 cases leading to emergency room visits are still low, they are increasing, with wastewater testing already revealing high coronavirus levels. Several other infectious illnesses are making the rounds, too, including the viruses that cause the common cold and bacteria that lead to strep throat. Health experts recommend that individuals at higher risk for developing severe disease from Covid-19 and influenza should get tested as soon as their symptoms start so that they can begin prompt antiviral treatment.

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How to protect yourself from norovirus, COVID-19, flu and RSV during the winter surge

In the winter months, it seems few are safe from some kind of illness — flu, COVID-19, norovirus, colds.

https://apnews.com/article/norovirus-flu-symptoms-covid19-rsv-a673bf84d9503395783d849733e007eb?

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🔎 Bird flu threat level

Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios

The bird flu virus circulating among cows, poultry and wild birds isn't yet a threat to the general public. But experts say that if things do get bad, the U.S. is probably underprepared, Axios' Caitlin Owens reports. Why it matters: As we learned during COVID, pandemics have world-altering consequences. Staying ahead of them is key — but that's not really what the public is in the mood for in the aftermath of the last pandemic. ⚡ Catch up quick: The first bird flu fatality isn't indicative of an imminent crisis. But the more chances the virus is given to spread and mutate, the more likely it evolves into something capable of sparking a pandemic. "It could become a pandemic tomorrow, it could never become a pandemic. The reality is we just don't know," said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan. 🔬 Where it stands: The bird flu virus, scientifically known as H5N1, has been circulating among U.S. dairy cows since at least March. The CDC says the current public health risk is "low." All but three of the 66 confirmed human cases last year were exposed through commercial agriculture, and the person in Louisiana who died this week contracted the virus from infected birds in a backyard flock. There have been no known cases of human-to-human transmission, and one death out of 66 confirmed cases is a much lower fatality rate than is generally feared with a H5N1 pandemic. But animal transmission is still going strong. The CDC issued a report in August that determined the current virus presents a "moderate" future pandemic risk. Keep reading.

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🤒 "Quad-demic"

Data: CDC. Map: Jacque Schrag/Axios The U.S. is facing a "quad-demic" of simultaneous viruses, Axios' Tina Reed reports from new CDC data. The flu, COVID and RSV are spreading at "high" or "very high" levels, and norovirus cases are surging at the same time. 😷 What we're watching: Human metapneumovirus, or HMPV — which comes with symptoms of a cough, fever, nasal congestion and shortness of breath — made headlines in China, and has been spreading in the U.S. Go deeper.

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Flu season in the US is the most intense it’s been in at least 15 years

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years.

https://apnews.com/article/us-flu-season-cdc-a640e8fe0bffa4a8f6bdbd7ea8e5608a?

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Worst flu season since '09

Data: CDC. Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals The worst flu season in 15 years has left hundreds of thousands of Americans hospitalized while straining physicians' offices and emergency departments, Axios Vitals author Tina Reed writes. Why it matters: The virus is causing more severe complications and hitting young children especially hard. 🧮 By the numbers: This flu season is classified as a "high-severity" season, with estimates of at least 29 million cases — the most since the 2009-2010 flu season, according to CDC data. There have been at least 370,000 hospitalizations and 16,000 deaths from flu as of Feb. 8. Keep reading.

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How Bad Will It Get? Flu Rates Are Still Rising

Feb. 11, 2025 – Nearly 1 in 3 people getting tested for the flu are hearing back from their health care provider that it’s positive. 

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20250211/how-bad-will-it-get-flu-rates-are-still-rising?

What Causes the Flu?

Want to avoid getting the flu? A good start is to know what causes it.

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/what-causes-flu-viruses?

How to Prevent the Flu

If you don’t make an effort to prevent it, odds are that you’ll catch the flu this season.

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold_flu_stopping_germs_work?

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Measles Outbreaks in U.S. Are Growing: How to Protect Yourself

Feb. 21, 2025 — Cases of measles are rising across the United States, with the largest outbreak reported in Texas. 

https://www.webmd.com/children/news/20250221/measles-outbreaks-spreading-us?

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Measles cases approach 150 in ongoing West Texas outbreak

One hundred forty-six measles cases have been reported in the outbreak in West Texas, the Texas Department of Health Services said in an update today. This is 22 more confirmed cases since an update on Tuesday, when 124 cases were reported.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/28/health/measles-texas-146-cases/index.html?

Measles outbreak

A measles outbreak in Texas has grown to nearly 150 cases, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Last week, state health officials announced the outbreak's first death — an unvaccinated school-aged child who had been hospitalized in Lubbock. It is the first measles death in the US in a decade. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in an opinion piece on Fox News on Sunday that parents should consult with health care providers "to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine" for their children. Kennedy, who has a history of anti-vaccine comments, did not explicitly recommend the vaccine. Rather, he said the outbreak was a "call to action for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to public health."

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Health concerns

The measles outbreak is surging in West Texas, especially in under-vaccinated communities. With lower vaccination rates, experts worry about what preventable illnesses we could see next.   💉 Early vaccine warning signs     Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios   In nearly three weeks as HHS secretary, several of RFK Jr.'s vaccine-related actions have stoked fears that the anti-vaccine movement has gained a powerful foothold, Axios' Caitlin Owens and Adriel Bettelheim write. The U.S. is in the middle of a worsening measles outbreak, one of the worst flu seasons in more than a decade and a circulating bird flu virus. 🔬 Zoom in: Kennedy drew attention last week during a Cabinet meeting when he described measles outbreaks as "not unusual." The one now hitting west Texas and New Mexico has resulted in the first U.S. death from the virus since 2015 and almost half of the cases seen last year. Kennedy then wrote in a Fox News op-ed over the weekend that vaccines protect individuals and communities from the disease but also that "all parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine," and that "[t]he decision to vaccinate is a personal one." Keep reading ...

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Measles confirmed in Miami teenager, the first in Florida this year

A teenager in Miami-Dade has a confirmed case of measles, the first such infection in Florida since a small outbreak of the disease in South Florida in 2024.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/05/measles-confirmed-in-miami-teenager-the-first-in-florida-this-year/?

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All About the Flu

https://symptoms.webmd.com/cold-flu-map/flu-infographic?

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How to Avoid Infectious Diseases

Medically Reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD on August 28, 2023

Written by Jon Cooper

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/ss/slideshow-avoid-infectious-diseases?

What Are Flu Complications?

Even if you’re usually healthy, the flu can knock you off your feet for days -- even weeks.

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-complications?

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Would You Even Know If You Have Measles?

March 10, 2025 — That cough or runny nose might just be a cold – but what if it’s measles? A growing number of Americans may find themselves asking this question. 

https://www.webmd.com/children/news/20250310/would-you-know-have-measles?

Flu Shot or Nasal Spray?

When it comes to the flu vaccine, the question for almost everyone shouldn't be if you should get it, but how you should get it.

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-vaccine-which-type?

Measles outbreak

The measles outbreak in West Texas is linked with cases in New Mexico, officials said Tuesday, as well as new cases reported in Oklahoma. This brings the total number of reported cases to 258 across three states, with most of them — 223 — in West Texas, 33 in New Mexico and two in Oklahoma. A New Mexico health department spokesman said the state now considers it a "regional outbreak." Even with climbing cases, experts say these numbers are a severe undercount. Measles is a highly contagious airborne virus that can stay in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has left the room. Although most of the cases are in patients who were unvaccinated or who have unknown vaccination status, five cases were found in people who said they have been vaccinated with at least one dose. Last month, Texas announced the outbreak’s first death in a school-age child who was not vaccinated and had no underlying conditions.

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Measles is spreading. How will you know if you need a vaccine booster?

Measles has made its way to Florida two years in a row, most recently with a case in a Miami high school and last year with seven cases at a Weston elementary school and two in the Broward County community.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/14/measles-is-spreading-how-will-you-know-if-you-need-a-vaccine-booster/?

Three months into 2025, US measles cases surpass total for 2024

Three months into 2025, the United States has surpassed the total number of measles cases in the country for all of last year.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/14/health/measles-outbreak-2025/index.html?