Disease Prevention

Bird flu update: CDC says it's searching for these pandemic red flags The CDC has revealed the red flags it is monitoring for that suggest that bird flu was about to become the world's next pandemic. Newsweek

The CDC told Newsweek Monday that while bird flu's current risk to the general public remains low, the agency is carefully monitoring for several red flags that could indicate that the virus could be on the verge of becoming a pandemic.

Those red flags include any outbreaks of bird flu that are spread from person-to-person, as well as evidence that the virus has mutated, making it easier for it to spread between humans.

Public acceptance of RSV vaccine grows as hesitancy plateaus A year after becoming available, vaccines to protect against RSV in newborns and older adults are being more widely accepted by the American public, according to a new Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) ... Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania Medical Xpress

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Tri-State hospitals urge patients, staff to mask up amid spike in COVID, flu, RSV With flu, COVID and RSV infections on the rise amid the holiday season, hospitals in New York and New Jersey are issuing an urgent plea: mask up! ABC7 New York

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Health workers think COVID, flu vaccines safe and effective, but many remain hesitant, global survey shows A survey of more than 7,700 healthcare workers (HCWs) in 12 countries in 2022 and 2023 finds that respondents agreed that COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are safe, effective, and useful, yet 1 in 5 reported moderate or strong COVID vaccine hesitation. CIDRAP

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