Andrew Pekosz, PhD, professor and vice chair in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is available for media interviews to discuss the rising rates of respiratory illnesses, the declining rate of vaccinations, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Health Advisory urging healthcare providers to encourage their patients to get vaccinated.
Journalists are also welcome to use the following comment from Andrew Pekosz:
“It’s troubling that we’re seeing increased hospitalizations from influenza and COVID-19 at the same time that vaccination rates are falling. It is critical that people stay up-to-date on their vaccinations, and that is particularly true for individuals in high-risk groups, to mitigate the chances of illness or even death.”
The CDC reported that in the past month, “hospitalizations among all age groups increased by 200% for influenza, 51% for COVID-19, and 60% for RSV. As of December 1, 2023, the weekly percentages of pediatric emergency department visits for pneumonia due to multiple etiologies were increasing since September in children, but remains consistent with prior fall and winter respiratory activity. To date, 12 pediatric influenza deaths have been reported during the 2023–2024 season. From September 1 through December 10, 2023, CDC received 30 reports of MIS-C, a rare complication that typically occurs 1 month after SARS-CoV-2 infection, with illness onset among cases occurring from August 6 to November 9, 2023, a relative increase compared with previous months. High RSV activity is also occurring across much of the United States.”
The CDC also stated that “as of November 18, 2023, there were 7.4 million fewer influenza vaccine doses administered to adults in pharmacies and physician offices compared with the 2022–2023 influenza season” and that “as of December 2, 2023, the percent of the population reporting receipt of [the COVID-19] vaccine was 7.7% in children 6 months–17 years (including 2.8% in children 6 months–4 years), 17.2% in adults ≥18 years (including 36% in adults ≥65 years), and 9.6% in pregnant persons. … As of December 2, 2023, 15.9% of U.S. adults aged ≥60 years reported receiving an RSV vaccine.”
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