Here is Dr. Klotman’s Week 236 video address from Baylor College of Medicine. This week the emphasis is on Influenza as the COVID case numbers continue to fall from their summer peak. The digest is:

  • We’re on the leading edge of this year’s Flu season
  • Annual hospitalizations due to Influenza range from 100K-700K
  • Annual US deaths due to Influenza range from 5K-50K
  • FluMist, an attenuated Influenza virus nasal spray, has been approved for at-home vaccination. It’s been around since 2007 but was not recommended for folks over 49
  • The new FluMist can be given to folks from the age of 2 up to 49.
  • Wastewater monitoring shows high levels of H5N1 bird flu in 10 Texas cities
  • There is still no persuasive evidence of human-to-human H5N1 transmission
  • Maybe it’s time to start vaccinating cattle to H5N1?
  • National as well as Texas COVID wastewater numbers are clearly declining
  • ER visits and hospitalizations for COVID are both falling
  • The dominant COVID strain in the US continues to be KP.3.1.1 which is covered by the m-RNA vaccines based on closely-related KP.2 strain
  • A new COVID strain circulating in parts of Europe, XEC, appears to have emerged from the recombination of two other strains. XEC cases have been seen in the US in low numbers
  • The controversy regarding the origins of COVID in China continues to provide fodder for scientific articles. Big surprise, right?

Regarding FluMist, the non-injection vaccine, it was previously limited to folks 5 to 49 years old. The upper age limit was imposed because there was a question of whether the vaccine would be as effective in older folks compared to the high-dose or adjuvanted vaccines recommended for older adults. The home-administered FluMist does not change the age range. Older adults should still take the high-dose or adjuvanted vaccine.

Regarding the origin of COVID, the latest study points to the wet market where the original virus and multiple variants were found in racoons, bamboo rats, and civet cats. While the pursuit of the origin of the virus is a good academic exercise for epidemiologists and virologists, it makes absolutely no difference to how you and I manage the reality of COVID in our midst.

I expect a winter COVID surge perhaps driven by XEC or another variant. I’ve had my KP.2-based m-RNA vaccine, and I’m wearing my mask. Of course, these things help us manage the risk of severe respiratory disease but are no guarantee. Life is a risky business, and more so when you are older.

By: llcPosted on