Influenza Pandemic and Seasonal Flu

Categories

• Avian Bird Flu, H7N9 Virus (4)
• Seasonal Flu Viruses and Preparation (2)
• Vaccines for Seasonal Flu and other Influenza (3)

Primary Listings

Flu (CDC) Fluview

This CDC page about Flu is the Official U.S. Government website for “regular flu” or influenza, avian and pandemic flu information. Defines seasonal flu and other types of flu viruses. Find information to prevent flu; symptoms and diagnosis; vaccination; treatment; who is at higher risk. See FluView for maps and charts that track flu activity weekly across the US. The first two weeks of the 2022-2023 flu season are starting off at higher levels than usual. The site includes a comparison of symptoms between flu and Covid. CDC stands for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated December 2022.

Flu – Caring for Someone at Home (CDC)

CDC explains caring for someone at home with the flu. CDC’s guidance on taking care of a person (at home) who is sick with influenza. Describes when to get immediate medical care for children and adults. Updated August 2021.

Flu Vaccination Coverage 2021-2022 (CDC)

Flu vaccination coverage in 2021-2022 was 51.4%, down 0.7 percentage points compared to the prior flu season. Coverage declined again in the most recent flu season, to 57.8% for children ages 6 months to 17 years. For adults, the flu vaccination rate went down to 49.4%. Minority adult populations have lower vaccination rates. Prepared by the CDC Centers for Disease Control, October 18, 2022.

Pandemic Ethics and Rationing of Resources

The Minnesota Pandemic Ethics Project developed recommendations regarding priorities and distribution of scarce resources (potential rationing) in the event of a severe pandemic. Ethical frameworks and ethical guidance, through the University of MN. Pub. 2010.

Pandemic Flu Guide for Healthcare Workers – OSHA (pdf)

OSHA’s pandemic flu guide helps hospitals and healthcare workers get ready and respond to an influenza pandemic. Addresses clinical information about influenza, infection control and hand hygiene, employee vaccination, protective equipment, self-triage guidelines if you have flu symptoms, and more. Practical and well-referenced. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Guidance for Healthcare Workers and Healthcare Employers is 103 pages; updated for 2009. Other pandemic publications also at this site.

RESP-NET to Track COVID and Flu Hospitalizations

New tracking tool, RESP-NET, by the CDC tracks trends in hospitalizations for flu and COVID-19. RSV hospitalizations also shown. Data comes from surveillance of what’s happening in 13 states. Can segment by age, sex, race. Launched in January 2023.

WHO – Influenza Updates

This World Health Organization (WHO) website provides updates on influenza around the world. Updates give overviews of influenza activity globally. See the latest information in individual countries. WHO also tracks other infectious diseases such as avian flu, Monkeypox, or Marburg; disease outbreaks (such as Ebola, MERS, etc.), swine flu, poliovirus, Epidemic & Pandemic Alerts, of all types, including, of course, the COVID-19 SARS-coronavirus pandemic.

Other Helpful Listings

CDC – Site Index A – Z

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) index A to Z. Easy to use topic list. The CDC is one of the major operating divisions of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and health education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States. CDC maintains active surveillance of diseases and works round the clock, 24/7, to protect against threats to our health, safety and security. Constantly updated. However, note that COVID-19 is only included under Coronavirus.

Public Health Emergencies – National Governors Association

The National Governors Association (NGA) has published Improving State Efforts to Prepare and Respond to Public Health Emergencies. This short 9-page report was written for governors and senior state officials who want to be prepared for a a variety of emerging public health situations.  Examples from Ebola, H1N1 Influenza, Zika and Avian Flu are given. May be useful to healthcare boards and leaders to understand their thinking and governments’ expected roles. Published September 2016.

Rhode Island Influenza Vaccination Rates for Healthcare Workers

View the general vaccination rates in Rhode Island for different types of healthcare workers in the 2019-2020 influenza season. Statewide, average vaccination rate was just 86%.  See staff vaccination rates for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, dialysis centers, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home health, hospice, and freestanding emergency care. Report by RI Department of Health Office of Immunization.

World Health Organization (WHO) Situation Reports: Coronavirus

Track the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) with weekly situation reports by the World Health Organization (WHO). The three-year pandemic is no longer considered a public health emergency. Nonetheless, WHO continues to inform us through weekly updates on Covid-19. Updated August, 2023.