1. CDC Director Mandy Cohen, MD, acknowledged theĀ heightenedĀ levels of COVID-19 currently sweeping parts of the country. However, severity of illness has fallen since the pandemic’s onset, so the increase in infection rates is not causing as many hospitalizations and deaths as previous years.
This fall and winter, the CDC estimates that virus levels will be similar to or lower than the 2023-24 season.
“Their outlook going forward is that this season ā¦ we can expect a similar or slightly improved in terms of peak hospitalizations that we saw last year when you look at combined COVID, flu and [respiratory syncytial virus] together,” Dr. Cohen said.
Last fall and winter, 10% of the U.S. population had the flu, according to Jeff Nesbit, HHS assistant secretary for the public affairs. At its peak last year, more than 2,500 people a week were dying from COVID-19, he said.
In the final week of 2023, RSV peaked at a rate of 4.2 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, according to CDCĀ data.
2. The CDC recommends everyone 6 years and older receive an updated COVID-19 shot and updated flu shot in September or October. Dr. Cohen said it is safe to get both vaccines at the same time.
For older adults who did get an RSV vaccine last year, the CDC recommends people aged 60 to 74 at increased risk of severe RSV and everyone 75 and older to receive an RSV shot.
3. HHS will relaunch its program of providing free COVID-19 tests, starting in September.
4. Beginning in 2025 and running through 2028, Pfizer will take charge of the patient assistant program for Paxlovid. The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response has stockpiled 1 million Paxlovid courses.
