If you have a moderately or severely weakened immune system, it's more important than ever to have a COVID-19 action plan. The Food and Drug Administration recently announced that the therapeutic agent EVUSHELD is not currently authorized for emergency use in the U.S. This monoclonal antibody had been prescribed to people with moderately to severely [...]
Before the first case of influenza was reported in the Flagstaff area this fall, public health researchers from ADHS and Coconino County Health and Human Services already knew it was coming. How? By testing wastewater for signs of influenza. Wastewater surveillance for signs of specific diseases is a new and growing tool for public health [...]
During November, Arizonans who had received the updated Omicron booster were 14 times less likely than unvaccinated individuals to be hospitalized from COVID-19 and 49 times less likely to die from COVID-19. That’s according to our latest monthly look at COVID-19 outcomes by vaccination status. Those who were vaccinated, but hadn't gotten the updated booster [...]
People of all ages get sick with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, and COVID-19, but dealing with these diseases can be especially trying for parents of young children. Fortunately, in most cases these viruses cause mild illness that can be treated at home by managing fever and pain and drinking lots of clear fluids. In [...]
No one wants to experience the fever, cough, and body aches that often come with influenza. That's especially true with the holiday season quickly approaching. The good news: You can still get the 2022-23 influenza vaccine for protection against the flu this year. Arizona is experiencing a busy flu season so far. Since the season [...]
As you’re preparing for the holidays, now is a great time to add COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations to your to-do list. It takes at least two weeks to build antibody protection after vaccination. Getting your Omicron COVID-19 booster and flu shot now — and you can get both in one visit — means your immune [...]
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study has found that the Omicron booster provided significant additional protection against symptomatic COVID-19 illness in people who had received at least two doses of a previous COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC notes that COVID-19 spread has increased during the last two winters. And Arizona cases have increased [...]
Improving our understanding of when and how to use antibiotics promotes health, fights the challenge of antimicrobial resistance, and helps ensure that antibiotics will be able to help generations to come. During U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week, ADHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are among organizations sharing the message that antibiotics can [...]
With cases of respiratory illness rising in Arizona, it's easy to overlook the possibility that Valley fever might be the reason for a cough, fever, or exhaustion. Caused by a fungus that can be carried by blowing dust, Valley fever is one of the most commonly reported infectious diseases in our state. Anyone who lives [...]
Today, Nov. 15, is World Cord Blood Day, which calls attention to how stem cells that remain in the placenta and umbilical cord after a child is born help doctors treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases. There have been more than 40,000 cord blood stem cell transplants since a French doctor first used the procedure [...]
