As someone (55) who had it last week, Flu A is all the horrible things! Still congested and tired. Am vaccinated and can’t imagine if I was not. Really hope we take a nose dive soon. Thank you for all your hard work especially since the numbers are not being reported!
How do we know this is the "flu" and not Covid if no one, including hospitals, are testing for Covid anymore (hundreds of conditions present with "flu like" symptoms), and almost all health communication has been shut down by the government?
To assume this is the flu seems irresponsible, and does not align with the precautionary principle ... although I guess we threw that out with masks and public health in general in 2023.
No one wants to consider how Covid's immune dysregulation or permanent damage is playing into this either.
There are home flu tests and combo covid and flu tests now. These are at most chain drug stores and online. I am recommending them to folks to have on hand at home now. Even if you only have a covid test, if it's negative and you feel really lousy it is probably flu. Walk-in mini clinics will test and prescribe anti-virals. Some high risk folks are getting antiviral prescriptions before any illness from their providers to fill if they test positive.
Residual sequela from any (all) viral infections is not uncommon...'immune dysregulation' has been shown in a small number of individuals post CoVid ( also seen with the "flu"...sadly true also for Guillain-Barré syndrome, GBS)
The incidence of GBS is higher post infection than the very low incidence reported post flu vaccination, for which no proof of cause an effect.
There is also no evidence for permanent (immune) damage/dysregulation given CoVID is still present.
Received the COVID and flu vaccinations last fall. Despite still masking in public spaces and being cautious, hit with flu A earlier this week. Still have not turned the corner. The fever and body aches are the worse.
You may have RSV...if not & your infection is CoVID, vaccine efficiency wanes over 3-4 months therefore antibodies would be low...also the 'flu-shot' lessen symptoms, similarly your immunity had waned.
All said, happy to know you were vaccinated. Consider a CoVID booster dose.
There appear to be 2 distinct strains of influenza A circulating. I’ve seen several kids who tested positive for influenza A in Nov or Dec returning with new flulike symptoms & PCR positive for influenza A. Unfortunately some insurers only cover one course of oseltamivir per season.
It is not as effective as last year's was. And less effective against B than A, although sounds like A is making folks sicker. Ryan McCormick's substack has a great breakdown on the anitvirals. https://mccormickmd.substack.com/
I could not sit idly by as foreign assistance for health and USAID are destroyed. So, I prepared the YouTube video below, titled "Stop the Destruction of USAID and Save Lives!"
I hope those visiting this site will believe it is important to share the video as widely as possible.
For your information, I am the former Director for Health, Nutrition, and Population for South Asia at the World Bank. I was a Lecturer in Global Health at The George Washington University and Yale, where I still hold an appointment, and the Executive Director of a Harvard AIDS treatment program for three countries in Africa. I am also the Instructor for the Yale/Coursera course Essentials of Global Health and the author of Global Health 101, Fourth Edition.
Thanks for the update. I had read/heard that flu was very high this season - worst since 2010 I think was cited. Meanwhile Covid cases seem to be much lower than in the last couple of years. My own guess is that few "flu victims" are being given Covid test and this is just more muddying of the waters by those who really don't want to know.
I think your 2019-2020 Historic Outpatient ILI is mislabelled -- in March of 2020, the flu level dropped like a rock as people got serious about COVID. Maybe you have the wrong year?
Thank you for this!
As someone (55) who had it last week, Flu A is all the horrible things! Still congested and tired. Am vaccinated and can’t imagine if I was not. Really hope we take a nose dive soon. Thank you for all your hard work especially since the numbers are not being reported!
The geographic pattern of infections appears to be highest in states where there is more political resistance to vaccination.
Thanks for the early warning before the weekend-much appreciated!!!
How do we know this is the "flu" and not Covid if no one, including hospitals, are testing for Covid anymore (hundreds of conditions present with "flu like" symptoms), and almost all health communication has been shut down by the government?
To assume this is the flu seems irresponsible, and does not align with the precautionary principle ... although I guess we threw that out with masks and public health in general in 2023.
No one wants to consider how Covid's immune dysregulation or permanent damage is playing into this either.
Add Bird Flu into the mix .... absolute disaster.
There are home flu tests and combo covid and flu tests now. These are at most chain drug stores and online. I am recommending them to folks to have on hand at home now. Even if you only have a covid test, if it's negative and you feel really lousy it is probably flu. Walk-in mini clinics will test and prescribe anti-virals. Some high risk folks are getting antiviral prescriptions before any illness from their providers to fill if they test positive.
Residual sequela from any (all) viral infections is not uncommon...'immune dysregulation' has been shown in a small number of individuals post CoVid ( also seen with the "flu"...sadly true also for Guillain-Barré syndrome, GBS)
The incidence of GBS is higher post infection than the very low incidence reported post flu vaccination, for which no proof of cause an effect.
There is also no evidence for permanent (immune) damage/dysregulation given CoVID is still present.
Crossing my fingers that the flu vaccine I got last October will be enough to get me through! Thanks for all your hard work.
Received the COVID and flu vaccinations last fall. Despite still masking in public spaces and being cautious, hit with flu A earlier this week. Still have not turned the corner. The fever and body aches are the worse.
You may have RSV...if not & your infection is CoVID, vaccine efficiency wanes over 3-4 months therefore antibodies would be low...also the 'flu-shot' lessen symptoms, similarly your immunity had waned.
All said, happy to know you were vaccinated. Consider a CoVID booster dose.
Thanks, I did receive my COVID booster last fall.
Unfortunately, I know it was flu since I tested positive to flu A. Wasn't fun but survived.
Hey Caitlin, has CDC resumed updates on the more detailed FluView page? I assume so with the info you provided but wanted to confirm
Yes, FluView has been resumed.
There appear to be 2 distinct strains of influenza A circulating. I’ve seen several kids who tested positive for influenza A in Nov or Dec returning with new flulike symptoms & PCR positive for influenza A. Unfortunately some insurers only cover one course of oseltamivir per season.
Yes, flu A subtypes are evenly split between H1N1 and H3N2 right now. I have a little plot on the breakdown in last week's post: https://caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/outbreak-outlook-national-feb-3
How effective is this years flu vaccine against flu strains this year. I’m out of the loop
It is not as effective as last year's was. And less effective against B than A, although sounds like A is making folks sicker. Ryan McCormick's substack has a great breakdown on the anitvirals. https://mccormickmd.substack.com/
Best source to follow for honest info!
Dr Michael Osterholm
CIDRAP
Center for infectious disease, research and policy
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/
*** Dr Michael Osterholm
CIDRAP
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy
New podcast:
https://youtu.be/30XobOUArj0?si=o0r_YJOTAvhKlWH7
Yep. It happens every year at this time.
Can you comment on the significance of avian flu in poultry - the New York cases?
I could not sit idly by as foreign assistance for health and USAID are destroyed. So, I prepared the YouTube video below, titled "Stop the Destruction of USAID and Save Lives!"
https://youtu.be/RUmWoj5vtbY
I hope those visiting this site will believe it is important to share the video as widely as possible.
For your information, I am the former Director for Health, Nutrition, and Population for South Asia at the World Bank. I was a Lecturer in Global Health at The George Washington University and Yale, where I still hold an appointment, and the Executive Director of a Harvard AIDS treatment program for three countries in Africa. I am also the Instructor for the Yale/Coursera course Essentials of Global Health and the author of Global Health 101, Fourth Edition.
Thanks for the update. I had read/heard that flu was very high this season - worst since 2010 I think was cited. Meanwhile Covid cases seem to be much lower than in the last couple of years. My own guess is that few "flu victims" are being given Covid test and this is just more muddying of the waters by those who really don't want to know.
I think your 2019-2020 Historic Outpatient ILI is mislabelled -- in March of 2020, the flu level dropped like a rock as people got serious about COVID. Maybe you have the wrong year?