The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports elevated early November illness rates, with notable regional clusters emerging in the South and along the West Coast. Travel gateways connecting the West Coast to Asia likely helped seed the altered virus domestically following its circulation in Japan. Although the mutated descendant of the 2009 swine flu is rapidly spreading among young people, experts caution that higher early case counts do not necessarily mean the overall season will be more severe.
Key points
Childhood exposure to specific flu strains plays a defining role in shaping long-term imm…: Childhood exposure to specific flu strains plays a defining role in shaping long-term immune defenses against new mutations.
Individuals without viral exposure prior to 2009 face higher vulnerability because they m…: Individuals without viral exposure prior to 2009 face higher vulnerability because they missed out on earlier ancestral strains.
Unusually high early November flu activity does not guarantee that the overall season wil…: Unusually high early November flu activity does not guarantee that the overall season will reach a more severe peak.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
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Good morning! One of our items today concerns this year’s flu. In the course of my research, I learned that the virus is hitting teenagers and young adults especially hard. I offer one possible explanation for what’s going on below, but welcome your theories and other ideas. We’ve also got a round-up on a lot of cardiology research testing ideas that didn’t work, and why at least one doctor is excited about that.
1,000,000+
That’s the number of people who could get access to Medicaid, thanks to last week’s blue wave. STAT’s John Wilkerson reports that three of the 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid could reconsider their holdouts now that Democrats have more power in state government: Texas, Georgia, and Wisconsin.
The Democratic governors-elect in all three made Medicaid expansion a part of their campaigns. But the GOP still holds majorities in the Texas and Georgia state senates, which could complicate the path forward. Read more from John.
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