CDC Respiratory Virus Updates
CDC is posting updates on the respiratory illness season here every week.
December 1, 2023, 8:30 PM EDT
What CDC knows
CDC has been monitoring increases in respiratory illness recently reported around the world.
What CDC is doing
CDC uses multiple data sources to monitor for increases in respiratory illness. CDC is also collaborating with state and local public health departments to closely monitor pediatric pneumonia cases in the United States.
Keep reading: Pediatric Pneumonia Update
November 27, 2023, 1:15 PM EDT
What CDC knows
BA.2.86, a variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 that CDC has been tracking since August, is currently projected to comprise 5-15% of circulating variants. At this time, the expected public health risk of this variant, including its offshoot JN.1, is low. The increase of this variant does not affect CDC’s COVID-19 recommendations.
What CDC is doing
CDC continues to track new variants, working closely with partners around the world, to provide the latest information. It’s a great time to get an updated COVID-19 vaccine if you haven’t already had one this fall, since infections are likely to increase in the coming months, as they tend to do this time of year.
Keep reading: Update on SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.2.86 Being Tracked by CDC
November 22, 2023, 9:00 AM EDT
What CDC knows
On November 16, CDC posted the first detailed estimates of who has gotten updated COVID-19 vaccines this fall. The data show that COVID-19 vaccine uptake is lower than we’d like to see and there are disparities in uptake by race and ethnicity. This means a lot of people are missing out on the benefits of vaccination. There are many social, geographic, political, economic, and environmental factors that create challenges to vaccination access and acceptance, and that often affect racial and ethnic minority groups.
What CDC is doing
Respiratory viruses don’t affect everyone equally. Certain groups of people are more likely to get very sick or die from COVID-19, and one reason is that there are big disparities in vaccination uptake. CDC is committed to vaccine equity so that everyone has fair and just access to vaccination. CDC continues to work to address vaccine inequities and their underlying drivers.
Keep reading: COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and CDC’s Commitment to Vaccine Equity
November 21, 2023, 3:30 PM EDT
What CDC knows
Monitoring vaccine safety is an important responsibility shared by the CDC and the FDA.
What CDC is doing
The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is an early-warning monitoring system for vaccine safety. It allows patients, pharmaceutical companies, medical personnel and other users to report concerns about medical events that occurred after someone received a vaccination. What VAERS doesn’t do, though, is tell us whether a vaccine caused a medical issue. That requires investigation. VAERS has a proven track record of successfully helping to identify safety issues.
Keep reading: VAERS: A Critical Part of the National Vaccine Safety System
November 9, 2023, 2:00 PM EDT
What CDC knows
Viruses tend to spread more commonly during fall and winter, especially the respiratory viruses that cause flu, COVID-19, and RSV illness. For many, gathering with loved ones to celebrate the holidays during this season is an important tradition. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help you and your loved ones stay healthy this holiday season.
What CDC is doing
CDC continually monitors respiratory viruses, including what viruses are spreading and where, who they are affecting, and how well vaccines and medications are working against those viruses.
Keep reading: Take Steps to Help You Stay Healthy During the Holidays
November 2, 2023, 4:00 PM EDT
What CDC knows
Some people may prefer to get their recommended flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines at the same time. You should consider getting these vaccines at the same time if making multiple visits to get additional vaccines would be difficult for you.
What CDC is doing
CDC has reviewed the available scientific evidence and concluded that people may get flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines at the same visit.
Keep reading: What to Know About Getting Flu, COVID-19, and RSV Vaccines at the Same Time
October 30, 2023, 3:00 PM EDT
What CDC knows
CDC’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics continues to anticipate that the upcoming fall and winter respiratory disease season will likely result in a similar number of hospitalizations as last season.
What CDC is doing
CDC will continue to monitor respiratory virus activity and update this outlook as we learn more. Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against serious outcomes of flu, COVID-19, and RSV. Vaccination is especially important for people who are at higher risk of developing serious complications.
Keep reading: 2023-2024 Respiratory Disease Season Outlook – October Update
October 27, 2023, 4:00 PM EDT
What CDC knows
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, is constantly changing and new variants continue to emerge. A variant is a change in the virus. A new variant may infect people more easily, spread faster, or cause people to get sicker. Nevertheless, nearly all the SARS-CoV-2 variants currently circulating in the United States are closely related to the variant used for the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines. This means that the updated vaccines should work well against currently circulating variants and continue to be the best way to protect yourself and others against severe disease.
What CDC is doing
CDC uses multiple systems to understand which SARS-CoV-2 viruses are circulating in communities, where they are circulating, and whether they are likely to contribute to surges in infection or serious illness. CDC then communicates these findings to the public.
Keep reading: Variants Happen
October 19, 2023, 1:30 PM EDT
What CDC knows
Vaccines are an important way to boost your immunity and prevent severe illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV this fall and winter. These vaccines are only useful if you can access them.
What CDC is doing
There are ways to get free vaccines.
Keep reading: How to Get Your Flu, COVID-19, and RSV Vaccines This Year
October 13, 2023, 2:00 PM EDT
What CDC knows
COVID-19 vaccines save lives and help keep you out of the hospital. Vaccines are not always effective at preventing infection, but there is extensive data showing that these vaccines prevent severe illness and protect the public’s health.
What CDC is doing
CDC is continually assessing how effective COVID-19 vaccines are against this disease. Intensive safety monitoring has been conducted since the first COVID-19 vaccines came out in 2020 and is ongoing.
Keep reading: Things You Should Know about COVID-19 Vaccines
September 29, 2023, 6:00 PM EDT
What CDC knows
Immunizations against COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are available and can help protect people against severe illness during the fall and winter season, when these diseases are more common.
What CDC is doing
CDC has provided immunization recommendations for providers and the public and is continuing to communicate about who should get immunizations, the benefits of immunization, and how to find recommended immunizations.
Keep reading: Immunization Overview for Fall and Winter 2023-2024
September 29, 2023, 1:30 PM EDT
What CDC knows
Pregnant and recently pregnant people are at increased risk of being hospitalized with COVID-19 and flu. Babies are also more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
What CDC is doing
CDC recommends COVID-19 and flu vaccination for pregnant people to help protect themselves and their babies from COVID-19 and flu. CDC also recommends RSV vaccination for pregnant people to protect their babies from RSV.
Keep reading: Respiratory Virus Vaccination for Pregnant People
September 22, 2023, 5:00 PM EDT
What CDC knows
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) can cause serious illness in infants, young children, and older adults. RSV season is right around the corner and immunization is an important way to protect against severe RSV.
What CDC is doing
Today, CDC recommended an RSV vaccine for people who are 32-36 weeks pregnant to help protect their babies from severe RSV. CDC has also recommended RSV immunization to protect babies and toddlers. For older adults, CDC recommends an RSV vaccine, using shared clinical decision-making.
Keep reading: Update on RSV and New Vaccine Recommendation
September 15, 2023, 3:00 PM EDT
What CDC knows
It is unclear how easily BA.2.86 spreads compared to other circulating variants. At this time, BA.2.86 does not appear to be rapidly increasing or driving increases in infections or hospitalizations in the United States.
What CDC is doing
CDC will continue monitoring BA.2.86 and other circulating variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. Moving forward, we will share updates on BA.2.86 when significant additional information becomes available.
Keep reading: Sept 15 Update on COVID-19 Variant
September 14, 2023, 11:30 AM EDT
What CDC knows
Analysis from CDC’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics shows that with the addition of a third virus (COVID-19) that can cause severe illness, even an average respiratory season can place significant strain on our healthcare system.
What CDC is doing
CDC recommends staying up to date on the vaccines recommended for you as an important strategy to prevent severe disease and protect yourself and others around you. Higher levels of vaccination across the population will also help reduce the number of hospitalizations and risk of hospital strain.
Keep reading: Respiratory Disease Season Outlook
September 12, 2023, 9:00 PM EDT
What CDC knows
COVID-19 continues to be a major cause of serious respiratory illnesses in the United States, with more than 200,000 deaths (including more than 600 in children and adolescents 0-19 years old) reported since January 2022. Vaccination is the most effective tool to protect yourself from severe illness this fall and winter.
What CDC is doing
CDC recommended a COVID-19 vaccine updated for 2023-2024 for everyone aged 6 months and older to protect against serious illness.
Keep reading: Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations Now Available
September 8, 2023, 5:30 PM EDT
What CDC knows
The U.S. 2023-2024 flu vaccines have a similar vaccine virus composition as the 2023 Southern Hemisphere flu vaccines.
What CDC is doing
A new CDC study found that people who had received a flu vaccine were half as likely to be hospitalized with flu compared to people who had not been vaccinated.
Keep reading: Flu in the Southern Hemisphere
September 8, 2023, 11:30 AM EDT
What CDC knows
Early research data from multiple labs are reassuring and show that existing antibodies work against the new BA.2.86 variant.
What CDC is doing
Real-world data are needed to fully understand the impact given the complexities of the immune response to this variant. Studies are ongoing, and we expect to learn more in upcoming weeks.
Keep reading: Sept 8 Update on COVID-19 Variant
August 30, 2023, 3:30 PM EDT
What CDC knows
At this time, we don’t know how well this variant spreads, but we know that it spreads in the same way as other variants. Take preventative actions to protect yourself and others from infection.
What CDC is doing
CDC is tracking a new SARS-CoV-2 variant called BA.2.86 and working to better understand its potential impact on public health.
Keep reading: Update on COVID-19 Variant
August 23, 2023, 10:10 AM EDT
What CDC knows
A new variant of SARS-CoV-2 called BA.2.86 was detected in Denmark and Israel. This variant is notable because of a large number of genetic differences from previous versions of SARS-CoV-2.
What CDC is doing
Based on what CDC knows now, we’ve prepared a scientific assessment of the risk profile posed by BA.2.86.
Keep reading: COVID-19 Variant