Facilities for Ailment Handle and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky on Monday shared “good news” about this year’s yearly flu vaccine, contacting it “lifesaving.”
Walensky mentioned the shot seems to be powerful versus the influenza strain that’s circulating.
“Right now, the very good news is that it appears to be like like it is a incredibly excellent match,” she explained to reporters.
This arrives as cases of both equally COVID and flu have been on the rise. Walensky identified as the development “worrisome” amid the holiday getaway time, when lots of are gathering indoors with minor air flow.
So significantly this year, there have been at minimum 8.7 million ailments, 78,000 hospitalizations, and 4,500 deaths from flu, in accordance to CDC estimates. Over 19,000 clients ended up hospitalized with flu all through the week ending on Nov. 26.
The greatest way to defend against infection and critical illness from flu is finding the annual shot, the CDC claims. The vaccine is advisable for anyone previously mentioned 6 months aged.
“I want to emphasize that the flu vaccine can be lifesaving and importantly there is nonetheless time to get vaccinated to be secured in opposition to flu this time,” Walensky explained.
As of Monday, the U.S. has recorded a weekly total of in excess of 303,100 COVID situations, 1,780 deaths and above 4,470 hospitalizations.
Walensky recommended face masks for people today in places of superior COVID transmission — as properly as other precautions, such as hand washing and staying residence when unwell.
“One have to have not wait around on CDC action in get to set a mask on,” Walensky said.
About 180 counties, districts, or territories are now exhibiting a higher COVID-19 community amount, in accordance to the company.