Tag: flu

Officials Caution 2019-2020 Flu Season May Be Severe

After the flu claimed the life of a 4-year-old in California, health officials are warning that the upcoming flu season could be severe.

Health officials are warning that the upcoming 2019-2020 flu season could be severe, as reported by U.S. News & World Report.

The warning comes on the heels of the first reported flu-related death, which claimed the life of a 4-year-old in California earlier this month.

“A death so early in the flu season suggests this year may be worse than usual,” cautioned Dr. Cameron Kaiser, a health official from Riverside County, where the child was from, in a press release.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that the previous flu season, which ran from October 2018 to May of 2019, was of “moderate severity.” It should also be noted that the 2018-2019 flu season, which lasted 21 weeks, was the longest flu season in a decade, and that, according to the CDC, there were around 600,000 flu-related hospitalizations and between 36,400 and 61,200 flu-related deaths reported.

For the 2019-2020 flu season, officials have recommended flu shots be administered before the end of October, and caution against vaccinating too early, such as in July or August, as reduced protection against the flu may occur. The CDC states that “all persons aged 6 months and older are recommended for annual vaccination, with rare exception.”

Flu vaccines are updated to better combat the strains that are expected to be circulating in the United States. This year:

  • The A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine component was updated from an A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus to an A/Brisbane/02/2018 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus.
  • The A(H3N2) vaccine component was updated from an A/Singapore/INFIMH-16-0019/2016 A(H3N2)-like virus to an A/Kansas/14/2017 (H3N2)-like virus.
  • Both B/Victoria and B/Yamagata virus components from the 2018-2019 flu vaccine remain the same for the 2019-2020 flu vaccine.
  • All regular-dose flu shots will be quadrivalent.

For more in-depth information about the 2019-2020 flu season, the CDC offers a FAQ resource center, which can be accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2019-2020.htm.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

New Drug to Treat the Flu Approved by FDA

The new drug, Xofluza, is the first new antiviral flu treatment with a novel mechanism of action approved by the FDA in nearly 20 years.

Alison Hunt, FDA.gov

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil) for the treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza (flu) in patients 12 years of age and older who have been symptomatic for no more than 48 hours.

“This is the first new antiviral flu treatment with a novel mechanism of action approved by the FDA in nearly 20 years. With thousands of people getting the flu every year, and many people becoming seriously ill, having safe and effective treatment alternatives is critical. This novel drug provides an important, additional treatment option,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. “While there are several FDA-approved antiviral drugs to treat flu, they’re not a substitute for yearly vaccination. Flu season is already well underway, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October, as seasonal flu vaccine is one of the most effective and safest ways to protect yourself, your family and your community from the flu and serious flu-related complications, which can result in hospitalizations. Yearly vaccination is the primary means of preventing and controlling flu outbreaks.”

Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. When patients with the flu are treated within 48 hours of becoming sick, antiviral drugs can reduce symptoms and duration of the illness.

“When treatment is started within 48 hours of becoming sick with flu symptoms, antiviral drugs can lessen symptoms and shorten the time patients feel sick,” said Debra Birnkrant, M.D., director of the Division of Antiviral Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Having more treatment options that work in different ways to attack the virus is important because flu viruses can become resistant to antiviral drugs.”

The safety and efficacy of Xofluza, an antiviral drug taken as a single oral dose, was demonstrated in two randomized controlled clinical trials of 1,832 patients where participants were assigned to receive either Xofluza, a placebo, or another antiviral flu treatment within 48 hours of experiencing flu symptoms. In both trials, patients treated with Xofluza had a shorter time to alleviation of symptoms compared with patients who took the placebo. In the second trial, there was no difference in the time to alleviation of symptoms between subjects who received Xofluza and those who received the other flu treatment.

The most common adverse reactions in patients taking Xofluza included diarrhea and bronchitis.

Xofluza was granted Priority Review under which the FDA’s goal is to take action on an application within an expedited time frame where the agency determines that the drug, if approved, would significantly improve the safety or effectiveness of treating, diagnosing or preventing a serious condition.

The FDA granted approval of Xofluza to Shionogi & Co., Ltd.

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency is also responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

80,000 Flu Deaths Reported in the U.S. in 2017

900,000 Americans were hospitalized and 80,000 Americans, including a record-breaking 180 children, died from the flu during the 2017-2018 season.

900,000 Americans were hospitalized and 80,000 Americans died from the flu during the 2017-2018 season, according to figures released during a news briefing held last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID). This is the highest flu-related death toll in over a decade, according to federal health officials.

Among the 80,000 dead were 180 children under 18, the highest reported death toll of any non-pandemic year since the CDC began tracking pediatric deaths. 90% of the flu-related deaths from last flu season were reported in people over age 65.

The high mortality rate is unusual and alarming, as it was not caused by a new pandemic influenza strain, but by a “normal”, albeit severe, flu season.

As we head into the 2018-2019 U.S. flu season, Americans are urged to prepare by getting vaccinated by the end of October.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.