Flu, COVID remain prevalent in Tennessee
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Tennessee remains at the epicenter of the annual respiratory illness season, with influenza and COVID-19 driving hospitalizations and sickness statewide.
Why it matters: Several respiratory illnesses are making the rounds simultaneously this season, including colds, flu, COVID and RSV.
- In Tennessee, the data shows an increase in hospitalizations tied to the flu and COVID-19.
By the numbers: As of Jan. 6, there were 601 inpatient hospitalizations linked with COVID in Tennessee, including 76 people in ICUs.
State of play: Flu cases accounted for more than 11% of hospitalizations in Tennessee the first week of January, according to the latest state data.
- CDC data shows influenza cases remain "very high" in the Volunteer State.
- The state has reported at least two deaths tied to the flu.
What he's saying: Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells Axios his peers in the emergency room have seen an uptick of new flu patients on top of their normal caseload.
- "There isn't any doubt that flu is out there spreading widely," he says. "I know the CDC has said in some parts of the country it's starting to taper off. We have not seen that yet in Tennessee."
Zoom out: The CDC estimates that between 14 million and 26 million Americans have had the flu this season, and 150,000 to 320,000 people have been hospitalized.
Zoom in: After a recent surge, Schaffner says, RSV hospitalizations "seem to have leveled off," although the virus remains a threat for younger and older people.
Be smart: You can still get a flu or COVID vaccine to protect yourself against serious illness and complications — "it may be late but not too late," Schaffner says.
- Schaffner says people in high-risk groups should consider resuming masking and social distancing, which is a little easier when the roads are too snowy to go anywhere.
- Check the expiration date of your at-home COVID tests before using them, and order more free ones from the government, if needed.