Flu Activity Is Still Increasing

Nov, 2022 - By WMR

In certain locations, the flu has already begun to spread rapidly.

The United States' cold and flu season could begin early and severely, government health experts warned this week. They said that they were closely monitoring hospital capacity and medical supplies and were prepared to deploy assistance if necessary.

RSV and influenza cases are rising all around the country. Covid-19 instances, which had been declining, appear to have reached a plateau during the last three weeks, according to Romero. In comparison to BA.5, the Omicron subvariant that brought on a wave of illness over the summer, a slew of new variants have been making progress.

The future holds the development of two-in-one combination vaccinations that will provide protection against both the flu and Covid-19 in a single shot. These vaccine producers include Novavax, Pfizer, and BioNTech.

The first research participant in a Phase 1 trial of Pfizer and BioNTech's new flu-Covid combination vaccination was given a shot last week, according to the companies' announcement. The vaccination candidate includes elements from the businesses' revised Covid-19 booster and their research flu vaccine.

In October, Novavax reported "promising results" from a Phase 1/2 clinical trial demonstrating that its Covid-19 and flu combination vaccination induced immune responses against coronavirus and influenza strains. According to the business, the trial is "the first of its type" and will examine a Covid-flu combination vaccination. The trial's findings will guide a Phase 2 study that is anticipated to begin by the end of this year. The investigational vaccine combines the Covid-19 vaccine from Novavax with its quadrivalent flu vaccine candidate.

The flu, Covid-19, and RSV vaccines being developed by Moderna are also combined flu and Covid-19 mRNA vaccines.

Health experts have long assumed that Covid-19 injections may eventually be required annually, much like seasonal flu shots are administered annually.