Is Flu Activity Easing Up?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported last week that influenza activity appears to continue to decrease in the United States. Less than 30 percent of specimens tested by U.S. World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) collaborating laboratories were positive for influenza. However, the proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory illness (ARI) was above national baseline levels. ILI decreased in seven of the nine regions compared to the previous week, but remained above region-specific baselines in all nine regions. The Mid-Atlantic and West North Central regions reported ARI at or above their region specific baselines.
Forty-seven states reported widespread influenza activity; three states reported regional influenza activity; and the District of Columbia reported local influenza activity.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.
