USA - CDC Media Briefing on Flu Activity and Vaccine Effectiveness Estimates Today - Live Tweeting Banned

[sharon sanders]

This is going on right now. Live tweeting is banned.

From: "Media@cdc.gov (CDC)" <sohco@CDC.GOV>
To: MMWR-MEDIA@LISTSERV.CDC.GOV
Subject: CDC Media Advisory: CDC TELEBRIEFING: UPDATE ON FLU ACTIVITY AND VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS ESTIMATES
Date: Feb 20, 2014 10:07 AM
Media Advisory

For Immediate Release
Thursday, February 20, 2014

Contact: CDC Media Relations
(404) 639-3286

PLEASE NOTE: The media telebriefing is scheduled at Noon ET and the MMWR content is embargoed until 1 pm ET.

CDC TELEBRIEFING: UPDATE ON FLU ACTIVITY AND VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS ESTIMATES


What
CDC will host a telebriefing to discuss two articles which appear in today’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). The articles are: “Interim Estimates of 2013–14 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness — United States, February 2014” and “Update: Influenza Activity — United States, September 29, 2013–February 8, 2014”

Who
Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Anne Schuchat, M.D. (RADM, USPHS) Assistant Surgeon General, United States Public Health Service; Director, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

When
Thursday, February 20 at Noon ET (Content embargoed until 1pm ET)

Dial-In
Media: 888-795-0855
Non-Media: 888-628-9523
INTERNATIONAL: 1-212-287-1859


Important Instructions
If you would like to ask a question during the call, press *1 on your touchtone phone. Press *2 to withdraw your question. You may queue up at any time. You will hear a tone to indicate your question is pending.

TRANSCRIPT
A transcript of this media availability will be available following the briefing at CDC’s web site: www.cdc.gov/media.

###

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: USA - CDC Media Briefing on Flu Activity and Vaccine Effectiveness Estimates Today - Live Tweeting Banned

from CDC site:

Press Release
CDC Newsroom
Embargoed for: Thursday, Thursday 20, 2014, 1:00 ET
Contact: CDC Media Relations
(404) 639-3286

CDC Reports Flu Hit Younger People Particularly Hard This Season

Vaccination lowered risk of having to go to the doctor by about 60 percent for people of all ages
This influenza season was particularly hard on younger- and middle-age adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in today’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. People age 18-64 represented 61 percent of all hospitalizations from influenza—up from the previous three seasons when this age group represented only about 35 percent of all such hospitalizations. Influenza deaths followed the same pattern; more deaths than usual occurred in this younger age group.
A second report in this week’s MMWR showed that influenza vaccination offered substantial protection against the flu this season, reducing a vaccinated person’s risk of having to go to the doctor for flu illness by about 60 percent across all ages.
“Flu hospitalizations and deaths in people younger- and middle-aged adults is a sad and difficult reminder that flu can be serious for anyone, not just the very young and old; and that everyone should be vaccinated,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “The good news is that this season's vaccine is doing its job, protecting people across all age groups."
U.S. flu surveillance data suggests that flu activity is likely to continue for a number of weeks, especially in places where activity started later in the season. Some states that saw earlier increases in flu activity are now seeing decreases. Other states are still seeing high levels of flu activity or continued increases in activity.
While flu is responsible for serious illness and death every season, the people who are most affected can vary by season and by the predominant influenza virus. The currently circulating H1N1 virus emerged in 2009 to trigger a pandemic, which was notable for high rates of hospitalization and death in younger- and middle-aged people. While H1N1 viruses have continued to circulate since the pandemic, this is the first season since the pandemic they have been predominant in the U.S. Once again, the virus is causing severe illness in younger- and middle-aged people.
Approximately 61 percent of flu hospitalizations so far this season have occurred among persons aged 18-64 years. Last season, when influenza A (H3N2) viruses were the predominant circulating viruses, people 18 to 64 years accounted for only 35 percent of hospitalizations. During the pandemic season of 2009-2010, people 18 to 64 years old accounted for about 56 percent of hospitalizations.
Hospitalization rates have also been affected. While rates are still highest among people 65 and older (50.9 per 100,000), people 50 to 64 years now have the second-highest hospitalization rate (38.7 per 100,000), followed by children 0-4 years old (35.9 per 100,000). During the pandemic, people 50 to 64 years also had the second-highest hospitalization rate. Note that hospitalization rates are cumulative and thus will continue to increase this season.
Influenza deaths this season are following a pattern a similar to the pandemic. People 25 years to 64 years of age have accounted for about 60 percent of flu deaths this season compared with 18 percent, 30 percent, and 47 percent for the three previous seasons, respectively. During 2009-2010, people 25 years to 64 years accounted for an estimated 63 percent of deaths.

more...


http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0220-flu-report.html