From the Desk of the CEO

Influenza cases and deaths in the United States and worldwide dropped to unprecedented lows between October 3, 2020, and July 24, 2021, according to CDC data. In a typical season, 75 to 150 children die of influenza in the United States, noted pediatric infectious disease specialist Paul Offit, MD, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, in a recent JAMA Network article. Last influenza season, he said, one child was reported to have died.

Among the many collateral effects of COVID-19, the pandemic has exacerbated the mental health crisis in the United States. For some, the global shutdown interrupted ongoing mental health care. For others, the stress and isolation triggered new mental health issues. 

A new study published in PLoS One suggests that the influenza vaccine may help safeguard individuals against COVID-19.

An experimental drug, 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (Tempol), may be a promising oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19, according to new research from NIH.  

For fully vaccinated individuals, the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines authorized by FDA lower the risk of infection by 91%, CDC reported this week.