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last yr.

COVID-19 and Flu Surge Amid Low Vaccination Rates

Despite a decrease in states with high respiratory illness levels, the impact remains significant with COVID-19 leading hospital admissions.

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Encouraging signs in the data suggest the Bay Area has moved beyond the peak of the winter “tripledemic” of COVID-19, flu and RSV as hospitalizations and emergency room visits trend down nationally.
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Overview

  • COVID-19, particularly the JN.1 variant, and the flu are causing a surge in respiratory illnesses this winter, with COVID-19 leading hospital admissions.
  • Despite a decrease in states reporting high levels of respiratory illnesses, the flu has resulted in at least 16 million illnesses, 180,000 hospitalizations, and 11,000 deaths, including 47 children, since October.
  • Vaccination rates remain low, with only 17% of those eligible having received the updated COVID-19 vaccine, which offers protection against the JN.1 variant.
  • Basic preventative measures such as hand-washing, using hand sanitizer, wearing masks in crowded areas, and improving ventilation are still crucial.
  • Prompt testing for COVID-19 or influenza is essential for accessing treatments that can prevent severe illness.