According to the report on the 5th local time of Axios, the US news website, the worst influenza in more than a decade has hit the medical and health system that has been on the verge of collapse due to the COVID-19 epidemic and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
It is reported that the flu has made almost every state at a high or very high level of influenza activity.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of flu related hospitalizations during Thanksgiving almost doubled from the previous week, the highest since the 2010-2011 flu season. Among them, adults aged 65 and above and children aged 4 and below are most affected, especially if they have potential health problems.
However, about 40% of Americans said they did not plan to vaccinate against influenza in this season, mainly because they were worried about the poor effect or side effects of the vaccine.
Public health experts said that in the past two years, masks and other COVID-19 epidemic prevention measures have largely curbed influenza and blocked its seasonal transmission. However, as people return to their pre epidemic lives, they are also more vulnerable to infection.
Last year, a research team predicted that once personal protective measures were removed, the epidemic situation of children would rebound significantly. The researchers urged the implementation of a strong "follow-up vaccination plan".
CDC estimates that, so far, at least 8.7 million people have been ill, 78000 have been hospitalized and 4500 have died during the flu season.
According to CNN, the Biden government has promised to provide resources and personnel to help the local health system cope with the surge of influenza, but will not consider declaring a public health emergency.
According to CDC data, between 2009 and 2022, the influenza hospitalization rate of African American adults is nearly 80% higher than that of white adults. However, during the 2021-2022 flu season, less than 43% of African American, Hispanic and Native American adults were vaccinated.
In a letter to the states, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Xavier Bessela, wrote that the federal government can intervene to help the medical system facing pressure, such as allowing hospitals with shortage of staff to enjoy exemption to increase the ability to treat patients, or make them more likely to transfer patients with influenza, COVID-19 or RSV.