Flu activity is low, but experts worry about a new strain and vaccination rates

By MIKE STOBBE and NICKY FORSTER NEW YORK AP The U S flu season is starting slowly and it s unclear if it will be as bad as last winter s but particular wellness experts are worried as U S Centers for Illness Control and Prevention figures posted Friday shows a new version of the virus has emerged Related Articles Info to decipher secret message in Kryptos sculpture at CIA headquarters sells for close to M Fiery UPS plane crash could spell the end for MD- fleet if the repairs prove too costly Ex-Georgia deputies cleared of murder in death of Black man shocked at least times Trump administration sues California over giving in-state tuition to immigrants in US illegally The fallout of Epstein s crimes span the globe Here s a look at certain of those paying the cost An early analysis suggests current vaccines may still be somewhat effective against the new version of the flu which has been the main driver of latest infections CDC figures shows Specific scientists and therapeutic professionals are more worried about disappointing vaccination rates a main reason why flu hospitalizations and deaths were unusually bad during last year s flu season one of the deadliest this century I think we re going to see a really severe season declared Asefeh Faraz Covelli of the George Washington University School of Nursing Last winter the overall flu hospitalization rate was the highest seen since the H N flu pandemic years ago Flu was the underlying or a contributing cause of more than deaths and one seven-day stretch early this year saw more than deaths the highest one-week spike in at least a decade Child flu deaths also were far higher than usual CDC details posted Friday manifested low flu activity so far with only one state Louisiana reporting moderate activity Preponderance of the broadcasted infections have been in children revealed the CDC s Alicia Budd who tracks flu infections for the Atlanta-based agency Majority also have been a new version of the type A H N virus that historically has caused the bulk hospitalizations and deaths in older people That type is responsible for preponderance flu infections so far this year and more than half have been a new subclade K variant that is different from the strain this year s flu shots were built to fight A preliminary analysis from the United Kingdom suggests the shots do provide at least partial protection although it will take certain time for scientists to know exactly how effective they are Experts say any protection that softens the blow of a flu infection is central to get Flu seasons tend to get bad between December and February and illnesses likely will accelerate as people advance and gather for Thanksgiving Covelli explained I think it s going to start picking up here she reported This is the ideal time to get vaccinated Researchers this year have been facing an extraordinary struggle to get a handle on how respiratory infection and vaccination rates have been trending They usually rely on the CDC for figures but a latest leadership shutdown halted records collection and reporting just as respiratory infections started ramping up Meanwhile ruling body efforts to promote disease-preventing shots have been more limited since U S Wellbeing Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr was put in charge of the CDC and other federal robustness agencies Kennedy a leading anti-vaccine activist has fostered uncertainty about the safety of vaccines including flu shots that contained a preservative called thimerosal Indeed vaccination rates against COVID- clearly continue to plummet with about of children and of adults up to date on their shots according to other CDC records posted Friday Each figure is about percentage points less than it was at this point last fall For the flu vaccination trends are a little muddier Certain sources have suggested flu vaccinations are down Over two million fewer flu shots were given at U S pharmacies through the end of October compared to last year according to information from IQVIA a healthcare information and research company But the latest CDC figures indicates that for children the vaccination rate this year is about the same as it was at this point last fall at And the vaccination rate for adults is up a minimal percentage points to about according to the CDC details which relies on survey information It is early in the season and too early to know if the increase will be sustained or what is causing it CDC representatives reported As of the beginning of November the U S flu hospitalization rate is about the same as it was at the same point in Hospitalization rates for COVID- and another respiratory virus RSV are lower so far this season according to another set of CDC details The Associated Press Fitness and Science Department receives help from the Howard Hughes Medicinal Institute s Department of Science Development and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The AP is solely responsible for all content