Last Week This Week
#19,325
Last week, after a summer of low COVID activity reported in the United States, we looked at Low But Increasing COVID reports across the nation. At that time, wastewater testing in 8 states indicated increased activity, while this week (see graphic above) the number of states has risen to 11.
At the same time, the percentage of positive tests for COVID has jumped from 5.3 last week to 6.2 this week. Still low, but edging higher.
The CDC's weekly summary reads:
Testing, and reporting, of COVID cases remain low, and so the CDC's Nowcast is unable provide us with much in the way of details on this summer's variants.
Last month the FDA approved a new JN.1 lineage XFG subvariant COVID vaccine (see CIDRAP FDA approves new COVID vaccines) which should be available later this fall.
Currently, influenza and RSV are reportedly at very low levels (see chart below), but with fall approaching, those numbers are expected to rise in the months ahead.
As reported a little over a week ago (see Japan MHLW Reports Unusually Early Start to the Fall Flu Season) a few countries in the Northern Hemisphere are already reporting substantial flu, even as the virus continues in the Southern Hemisphere.
This year's fall flu vaccines have been updated to reflect recent antigenic changes observed in all 3 seasonal flu types (see WHO Recommendations for Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2026-2027 Northern Hemisphere Influenza Season).Admittedly, every flu season is different, and it is not unusual to see vastly different flu seasons in different parts of the world. So flu's early arrival in Japan may not be a harbinger for North America or Europe.
While no flu vaccine can promise 100% protection, it – along with practicing good flu hygiene (washing hands, wearing face masks in crowded indoor spaces, covering coughs, & staying home if sick) – remains your best strategy for avoiding the flu and staying healthy this winter.
For some more reasons to consider getting the flu vaccine, you may wish to revisit:
Eurosurveillance: Influenza Vaccination Attenuates Acute Myocardial Infarction and Stroke Risk Following Influenza Infection
Nature: Influenza Vaccination & Major Cardiovascular Risk: a Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis
The Lancet: Influenza Vaccine to Reduce Adverse Vascular Events in Patients with Heart Failure
AHA: Study Shows Flu Shots Reduce Deaths From Heart Failure