Hospitals across the United States are reintroducing mask mandates and limiting visitor access as cases of COVID-19, flu, and RSV continue to rise, straining healthcare capacity. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged increased vaccination rates amid fears of severe disease following holiday gatherings.
Vaccination coverage remains low: only 44% of adults have received flu shots, 17% have had updated COVID-19 boosters, and 17% of those aged 60 and over have taken the new RSV vaccine. The infant RSV treatment Beyfortus has been difficult to access due to reduced supply.
Hospital admissions for COVID-19 have increased by 20.4% week-on-week, with deaths up 12.5%. Wastewater concentrations of the virus are at their highest since January 2022. Flu-related hospitalisations are nearing pre-pandemic peaks, with 110,000 hospitalisations and 6,500 deaths this season.
Two recent studies suggest the BA.2.86 variant, parent of the dominant JN.1, may infect lung cells more effectively, though real-world data does not yet show increased severity. Experts caution that continued viral mutation could lead to more dangerous strains.
