CDC sounds alarm about low vaccination rates amid rising respiratory virus activity
CDC sounds alarm about low vaccination rates amid rising respiratory virus activity The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is an “urgent need” to boost vaccination coverage amid increasing levels of respiratory disease. “Low vaccination rates, coupled with ongoing increases in national and international respiratory disease activity caused by multiple pathogens, including influenza viruses, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), and RSV, could lead to more severe disease and increased healthcare capacity strain in the coming weeks,” the agency wrote in a Health Alert Network advisory Thursday. “In addition, a recent increase in cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) following SARS-CoV-2 infection in the United States has been reported.” About 7 million fewer adults have gotten their flu shot so far this season compared with the last virus season. Overall, uptake is about 36% for both adults and children, according to CDC data throu