Cold and Flu News & Features

Early estimates suggest this year's flu vaccine, overall, is about 47% effective. It is generally less effective against the influenza A (H3N2) than other virus types.

Though this year's flu hasn't been as bad as last year's, it's still been a severe season, not the mild one health officials had hoped for. It will still be weeks before flu drops to levels needed for the CDC to declare the season over.

Changes to the nasal spray appear to have improved its effectiveness, and the American Academy of Pediatrics is now endorsing it as well as flu shots to protect children.

The risk of getting the flu rises about 16% every 28 days after vaccination, according to a study by Kaiser Permanente Northern California researchers.

At the start of the flu season, the main strain was influenza A H1N1, but now a more severe strain, influenza A H3N2, accounts for nearly half of all the new cases, the CDC says.

This year's flu vaccine offers 47 percent protection against all circulating strains, according to researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As of Feb. 2, flu is widespread in 47 states, and 24 states are seeing high levels of the disease. In addition, hospitalizations are increasing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Researchers think flu-related inflammation may raise your chance for a stroke, and a strong immune response to the flu virus increases blood clotting and wear and tear on your blood vessels, which may boost your risk of having torn neck artery.

Researchers have been working for years on a universal flu vaccine that would mean no annual flu shots. How close are they getting to one?

The flu can alter your immunity and make you more prone to other infections,. Getting a flu shot is relatively cheap and can reduce hospitalizations, acute heart illnesses and death.

As of Jan. 5, 15 states and New York City were reporting high flu activity, and it was widespread in 30 states.

When a mom-to-be gets the flu, she can be so sick she needs to be admitted to a hospital's intensive care unit. And new research finds her baby then runs the risk of being born preterm, underweight and with a low "Apgar score" -- a gauge of an infant's overall health.

“Influenza-like illness," also called “flu-like illness,” is a more wide-ranging category.

People who received a flu shot while in the hospital had no increased risk of outpatient visits or hospital readmission within seven days after leaving the hospital. They also had no increased risk of fever or laboratory tests for infection, the findings showed.

A new drug to treat flu, Xofluza, is now available to pharmacies nationwide. It joins Tamiflu, the most commonly prescribed treatment.

Researchers found fewer cases of flu in places where people did not rely as much on public transportation or had shorter commutes with fewer stops.

It's sore throat season, but vocal professionals can't let a sore throat stop them from working. Here’s what the pros do when they have to push through.

The survey comes after an unidentified nurse was allegedly fired for refusing to get a flu vaccine, drawing the attention of protesters who supported what they said was a violation of her conscience protection rights.

Flu activity is still fairly low, but, as expected, has slowly increased over the last few weeks, CDC officials say.

Results showed that 43% of adults have received the flu shot and that 14% had not yet been vaccinated but planned to be. Yet 41% of adults surveyed said they did not plan to get vaccinated. About 2% were undecided or did not respond.

An unidentified nurse who was allegedly fired for refusing a flu shot drew the attention of protesters, who rallied in support of what they said was a violation of her rights.

During last year’s bad flu season, so many people were trying to get Tamiflu that some areas had shortages.

Flu Activity Is Low -- For Now By Steven ReinbergHealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, Oct. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Although this flu season is off to a slow start, U.S. health officials are urging everyone to get vaccinated now.Why? Last year was one of the worst flu seasons on record, yet fewer Americans got a flu shot than in years past. In fact, less than four in 10 adults were protected against flu and its complications last winter, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."Right now flu activity is low, with just a smattering of

The drug's approval was based on two clinical trials of more than 1,800 patients who took either Xofluza, a placebo or another antiviral flu treatment within 48 hours of experiencing flu symptoms.

Flu season is imminent, and CDC continues to remind that everyone 6 months and older to get vaccinated. It’s too soon to know whether the strains will be as bad as last year, but even when flu activity is low, people get sick.