The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) performs studies each year to determine how well the influenza (flu) vaccine protects against flu. They recently released the 2018–2019 interim influenza vaccine effectiveness results that highlight how the vaccine helps to protect our communities from the disease. Overall, the vaccine was 47% effective in preventing individuals [...]
Flu is now widespread in Arizona. As of this week, there have been 2,976 cases of flu reported compared to 347 for the same time period in 2016, which is a 758 percent increase in flu activity. This is the highest number of seasonal cases this early since influenza tests became reportable. During the past [...]
National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) was established in 2005 by the CDC to highlight the continuing need to vaccinate for influenza through the holiday season and beyond. This year, NIVW is being observed December 3 through 9. Influenza causes mild to severe illness, and even death. Every season, roughly 4,000 Arizonans are hospitalized and 700 [...]
On Saturday November 18, ADHS and Maricopa County Department of Public Health join in a new partnership with the Wildlife World Zoo to host a free influenza vaccine clinic accompanied with outreach on disease prevention. Last year at the Phoenix Zoo, the “Protect You and the Zoo from the Flu” event was successful in allowing public health officials to [...]
The 2017–2018 influenza season has arrived in Arizona! Since the beginning of October, Arizona has had 92 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza reported from 10 counties, compared to 20 cases at this time last year. This means if you and your family haven’t gotten vaccinated yet, now is the time. The influenza vaccine is the best [...]
Influenza activity is now widespread in Arizona with more than 750 cases reported in Arizona last week. That’s more than double the number of cases from last week. There have been nearly 3,300 lab-confirmed cases reported this influenza season in our state, but we know that this is just the tip of the iceberg. We tend to see our [...]
A report card that contains 41 percent is never good. But so goes the disappointing findings from a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) that found that during the 2013-2014 flu season, only 41 percent of pregnant women received the seasonal flu vaccine. Previous report cards would have shown 35 percent of pregnant women in [...]
The news is true… Arizona continues to top the country in reports of influenza-like illness for the fourth week in a row. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that Arizona has more people sick with flu than anywhere else in the country (not all flu cases get reported to public health departments), it does mean that [...]
This week's flu report shows our influenza activity in the state has reached a "widespread" classification. More than 3,700 cases of flu have been reported throughout Arizona, with 51 percent of those in Maricopa County. There have been 3,710 lab-confirmed influenza cases reported for the 2015-2016 influenza season in Arizona. Cases have been reported in all 15 counties, with [...]
Every year the World Health Organization holds a meeting with worldwide experts to make recommendations for the next season’s Northern Hemisphere flu vaccine. It seems strange to plan for next season when we’re still in the midst of the current flu season, but the vaccine-making process still takes about 6 months. Influenza season generally ramps [...]
