Flu Vaccine No Match for Circulating Variants This Season

• March 11, 2022
• Full Page

This season's flu shot offered virtually no protection against infection, a new government report shows.

While this latest vaccine only cut the risk of getting a mild case of flu by 16%, the agency has

Did Dinosaurs Get Colds, Too?

• February 10, 2022
• Full Page

The fossilized bones of a young dinosaur show evidence of a respiratory infection that may have caused familiar flu-like symptoms -- fever, coughing and trouble breathing.

Dolly, as she's been dubbed by researchers, was an immature diplodocid -- a large, long-necked plan...

Seasonal Flu Shots Give Kids Broader Protection Against New Strains

• February 7, 2022
• Full Page

A new study finds that kids who have received years of seasonal flu shots have antibodies that provide wider protection against new influenza strains, something researchers say doesn't happen in adults.

These findings could help efforts to develop a universal flu vaccine...

CDC Study Shows Power of Flu Vaccine for Kids

• Robert Preidt
• January 17, 2022
• Full Page

Flu vaccines protect children against serious illness, even when the vaccine doesn't match the circulating flu virus, according to a new study that reinforces the importance of flu shots.

Flu viruses are constantly changing, and the effectiveness of flu vaccines can be i...

New Worry: 'Flurona,' When COVID Meets the Flu

• Serena McNiff HealthDay Reporter
• January 10, 2022
• Full Page

It's a COVID phenomenon that had, until now, gone relatively unnoticed: You can be infected with COVID-19 and the flu at the same time.

Thanks to the internet, it even has a name -- "flurona." And it will likely happen much more often this particular winter, as the flu s...

Going Viral: Flu Rebounds as Omicron Variant Surges

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 22, 2021
• Full Page

Flu is making a comeback in the United States this year, with cases rising around the country even as the Omicron variant is surging, infectious disease experts say.

"We already are seeing significant increases in the amount of influenza occurring across the United State...

Flu Vaccine May Not Protect Against Main Flu Strain: Study

• Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
• December 17, 2021
• Full Page

This season's flu vaccine may do little to prevent infection with the main circulating virus strain because the strain has changed since the vaccine was developed, a new study suggests.

However, the vaccine is still likely to protect against severe illness and death, acc...

Who Gets a Flu Shot? Having a Doctor Is Key

• Cara Murez
• December 9, 2021
• Full Page

Public health experts have long recommended getting a seasonal flu shot, but a new study suggests there's hesitancy about that vaccine, too. Physicians and pharmacists can play a key role in flu shot uptake, the research shows.

Only about 44% of people who had a health c...

With Holidays Ahead, COVID Boosters a Must for People With Weak Immune Systems

• December 5, 2021
• Full Page

If you're a patient with a weakened immune system, roll up your sleeves to stay safe over the holidays and winter months.

"Immunocompromised patients absolutely should get a flu shot as well as an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose," said Dr. Marwa Kaisey, a neuroimmunolog...

Child Nasal Swab Tests Conducted by Parent Yield Accurate Results: Study

• Robert Preidt
• November 12, 2021
• Full Page

Parent-collected nasal swab samples from kids could be as good at detecting respiratory infections such as COVID-19 as those taken by nurses, but that's not the case with saliva samples, British researchers say.

Respiratory infections such as colds and flu are among...

Zinc Might Help Shorten Your Cold or Flu, Study Finds

• Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporters
• November 2, 2021
• Full Page

Many people pop a zinc supplement at the first sign of a cold, and there's new evidence supporting the habit.

Australian researchers found that the supplements appear to help shorten respiratory tract infections, such as colds, flu, sinusitis and pneumonia.

Many ov...

COVID Pandemic May Have Driven a Flu Strain Into Extinction

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• October 25, 2021
• Full Page

It's well-known that COVID-19 pandemic restrictions pretty much quashed the 2020-2021 flu season, with influenza cases falling to never-before-seen lows in the United States.

So little flu circulated, in fact, that some scientists now suspect that one of the major strain...

Flu Cases Already Up 23% This Season: Walgreens

• Robert Preidt and Ernie Mundell and Robin Foster
• October 20, 2021
• Full Page

Flu activity in the United States is 23% higher so far this season than in 2020, sales of flu medications at Walgreens suggest.

The significant increase shown by the company's analysis of its own data reflects the historically low levels of flu last year as people stayed...

Is a Really Bad Flu Season on the Way?

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• October 14, 2021
• Full Page

It could be a bad flu season this year -- and for a couple of years to come -- in places in the United States where COVID-19 restrictions like social distancing and masking have been lifted, researchers warn.

These sorts of measures caused flu cases to decline by more th...

60% of Americans Will Delay or Skip Flu Shot This Year: Survey

• Robert Preidt
• October 12, 2021
• Full Page

Experts are warning that the upcoming flu season could be severe as social distancing measures are relaxed across the United States, but a new survey finds that 6 in 10 Americans may delay or skip a flu shot.

However, it also found that 98% of those who got a flu shot la...

CDC Urges Flu Shots as Survey Shows Half of Americans Don't Plan on It

• Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
• October 8, 2021
• Full Page

A new survey showing that nearly half of U.S. adults are not likely to get a flu shot this season has prompted federal health officials to urge all Americans to get the flu vaccines.

Even more troubling is that the poll of 1,110 respondents aged 18 and older also found t...

Social Distancing Kept Kids From Getting Flu, RSV

• Robert Preidt
• October 8, 2021
• Full Page

Social distancing and mask mandates during the pandemic nearly eliminated cases of the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among children, a new study finds.

"Numbers don't lie. Face masking, and proper hygiene and isolation, can be effective means to protect the v...

Flu Shot Even More Important During Pandemic: Expert

• October 3, 2021
• Full Page

Although the focus is on the COVID-19 vaccine, don't forget to also get your flu shot -- it's important, an expert says.

"In the United States, it is recommended that everyone over the age of 6 months be vaccinated against the flu, and there are many vaccines available t...

SmartWatches Detect Viral Infection Before Symptoms Surface in Study

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• September 30, 2021
• Full Page

Someday, your smartwatch might be able to tell you if you're coming down with a virus and how sick you'll be -- even before symptoms start.

In a small study, researchers showed that a wearable device, like a Fitbit or Apple Watch, could detect which patients had the H1N1...

Is Flu Ready for a Comeback? Get Your Shot

• Cara Murez
• September 17, 2021
• Full Page

Health officials are bracing for a viral double whammy this fall and winter.

"This year, we expect influenza and COVID-19 to circulate at the same time," said Dr. Jonathan Grein, director of hospital epidemiology at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.

That's why Grein and...

Is a Combo COVID/Flu Shot on the Way?

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• September 15, 2021
• Full Page

During the next few weeks or months, you might find yourself dropping by the doctor's office or pharmacy to get your annual flu shot along with a dose of COVID vaccine.

Unfortunately, you'll have to get two individual jabs. Though at least two drug companies are working ...

Keeping Classrooms Safe for Kids With Asthma, Allergies

• August 7, 2021
• Full Page

Parents of kids with asthma and allergies should prepare a plan to keep them safe as schools reopen, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) says.

Along with guarding against COVID-19, it's important to protect against cold, flu and other viruses t...

Flu Shot Might Help Ward Off Severe COVID

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• July 12, 2021
• Full Page

A flu shot might offer some protection against severe effects of COVID-19, a new study suggests.

If you are infected with COVID-19, having had a flu shot makes it less likely you will suffer severe body-wide infection, blood clots, have a stroke or be treated in an inten...

Your Job Could Put You at Much Higher Risk for Flu

• Robert Preidt
• July 9, 2021
• Full Page

Your job may significantly increase your risk of catching the flu, with potential implications for the spread of other infectious diseases including COVID-19, according to new research.

On average, working folks are 35% more likely to get the flu than those without jobs,...

As COVID Rules Ease, Common Colds Rebound Across America

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• June 25, 2021
• Full Page

Infectious disease expert Ravina Kullar's husband has a cold. So does her sister-in-law.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Clinic's waiting rooms are becoming much more frequented by folks with coughs, sneezes and sniffles, said family medicine physician Dr. Neha Vyas.

Thes...

Pandemic Silver Lining: Fewer Dangerous Flare-Ups for COPD Patients

• Cara Murez
• June 16, 2021
• Full Page

Public health precautions meant to reduce the spread of COVID-19 may have had an unintended but happy side effect.

They may also have benefited individuals who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a new study.

During the pandemic, admissi...

More Evidence Flu Shot Is Safe in Pregnancy

• Robert Preidt
• June 10, 2021
• Full Page

There's more proof that getting a flu shot during pregnancy doesn't pose a risk to children's health.

"This study adds to what we know from other recent studies showing no harmful effects of flu vaccination during pregnancy on the longer-term health of children," said st...

In 10 Years, COVID-19 Could Be 'Just the Sniffles'

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• May 25, 2021
• Full Page

The virus fueling the COVID-19 pandemic could become just an ordinary sniffle-causing nuisance within the next 10 years, a new study suggests.

Researchers stressed that the projection is based on mathematical models, and not a crystal-ball prediction.

But, they say...

Another Study Finds COVID Patients Face Higher Risk for Stroke

• March 19, 2021
• Full Page

A new study adds to mounting evidence that COVID patients have an added risk of stroke.

Researchers analyzed data on more than 20,000 U.S. adults hospitalized with COVID-19 between January and November 2020. The analysis found that their risk of stroke was higher than fo...

Unhealthy in Your 20s? Your Mind May Pay the Price Decades Later

• Robert Preidt
• March 18, 2021
• Full Page

If you're a 20-something who wants to stay sharp, listen up: A new study suggests poor health habits now may increase your risk of mental decline later in life.

Its authors say young adulthood may be the most critical time for adopting a healthy lifestyle in order to kee...

U.S. Flu Vaccinations Hit New Record High This Season

• Robert Preidt
• March 1, 2021
• Full Page

While many Americans await their turn for the COVID vaccine, a potentially record-setting number have already had their flu shot.

That's the key finding in a nationwide poll of more conducted in December by the University of Georgia, involving more than 1,000 adults . I...

Not the Flu: COVID Death Risk Is 3.5 Times That of Influenza

• February 15, 2021
• Full Page

The risk of death from COVID-19 is more than triple that from seasonal flu, researchers in Canada say.

Their findings are similar to recent studies from the United States and France. The study was published Feb. 10 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Kids Who Got Flu Shot Had Milder COVID Symptoms: Study

• Robert Preidt
• February 8, 2021
• Full Page

Here's a new reason to make sure your kids get their seasonal flu shot.

A new study showed that it reduces kids' risk for symptoms and severe illness if they get COVID-19.

That conclusion is drawn from medical records of more than 900 children diagnosed with COVID-...

Vaccines Saved 37 Million Lives, Mostly Children, Over Past Two Decades

• Robert Preidt
• February 4, 2021
• Full Page

They're medical miracles: A new report finds that vaccines against 10 major diseases prevented 37 million deaths between 2000 and 2019 in low- and middle-income countries worldwide, with young children benefiting most.

Vaccinations are also projected to prevent a total o...

Like Flu, COVID-19 May Turn Out to Be Seasonal

• Robert Preidt
• February 2, 2021
• Full Page

Like influenza, could COVID-19 evolve to wax and wane with the seasons? New research suggests it might.

Early in the pandemic, some experts suggested that SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes COVID-19 -- may behave like many other coronaviruses that circulate more widely ...

What's Killing Detainees at U.S. ICE Facilities?

• Cara Murez
• January 26, 2021
• Full Page

Thirty-five detainees in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities have died since April 2018, often because of preventable causes, such as COVID-19, flu and suicide, according to a new study.

One of them was a Mexican citizen who had first entered the Un...

What Happened to the Flu This Year?

• Robert Preidt
• January 15, 2021
• Full Page

The United States has far fewer flu cases than normal, and experts say it's probably due to measures people are taking to protect themselves from COVID-19.

Flu season usually peaks between December and February. Influenza typically causes about 45 million illnesses, 810,...

COVID-19 Is Far More Lethal, Damaging Than Flu, Data Shows

• Robert Preidt
• December 18, 2020
• Full Page

COVID-19 is far more harmful and deadly than the seasonal flu, new studies confirm.

Researchers analyzed U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data on more than 3,600 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between Feb. 1 and June 17 of this year, and more than 12,600 hospital...

High-Dose Flu Shot No Better for Heart Patients

• Robert Preidt
• December 10, 2020
• Full Page

Getting a high-dose flu shot instead of a regular dose doesn't further reduce the risk of serious flu-complications, hospitalization or death in people with heart disease, new research shows.

The findings don't change established guidelines. Heart disease patients a...