A recent study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics reveals that some mothers are aware of safe sleep guidelines for infants, but they regularly engage in nonrecommended practices with the goal of improving their own and their baby's sleep.

In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatrician with Mayo Clinic's Children's Center, discusses the most current safe sleep recommendations.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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Sleep can be a big challenge for parents with infants.

"I think as parents, we're all desperate to get our children to sleep at night," says Dr. Mattke, who warns parents to be aware of products that are not safe for sleep.

"There's lots of different products that are marketed towards families and parents to help guarantee to improve their sleep. But most of those products have been shown to not be safe for infants to be sleeping in specifically anything that has an incline," says Dr. Mattke.

Other products, like loungers and weighted blankets, also are not safe for sleep.

Dr. Mattke says, when it comes to baby's sleeping space, keep it simple.

"Make sure the infant is sleeping on their back with no fluffy stuff around them. They should be the cutest thing in their bassinet in their crib," she says.

Sharing a bedroom with baby, especially for the first six months of life, can decrease the risk of sleep-related death by up to 50%. But the key is sharing a bedroom, not a bed.

"We want them sleeping in their own flat, safe sleeping environment with no fluffy blankets or things that could get in the way and risk their breathing," says Dr. Mattke.

American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations on creating a safe sleep environment include:

• Place infants on their backs for sleep in their own sleep space with no other people. 
• Use a crib, bassinet or portable play yard with a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet. Avoid sleep on a couch, armchair or in a seating device, like a swing or car safety seat (except while riding in the car). 
• Keep loose blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, bumpers and other soft items out of the sleep space. 
• Breastfeed if possible and avoid smoking.

Other recommendations include:

• Offer a pacifier at naptime and bedtime.
• Do not use home monitors or commercial devices, including wedges or positioners, marketed to reduce the risk of SIDS.
• Infants should receive all recommended vaccinations.
• Supervised, awake tummy time is recommended daily to facilitate development.

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If you've been bit by a stomach bug lately, you're not alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting significant norovirus activity across the country, especially in the West and Northeast. 

The latest trend reports show that in the West region, more than 12% of tests for norovirus were coming back positive, while that number was more than 13% in the Northeast. Activity in the Midwest and Southern regions was slightly lower, with around 10% of tests coming back positive.

Noroviruses are usually more widespread in the fall and winter, but you can get sick from the virus any time of the year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea from acute gastroenteritis in the U.S.

Norovirus infection, sometimes referred to as stomach flu, is unrelated to the flu caused by the influenza virus. Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center, says it's a virus that causes gastroenteritis.

"Norovirus is a type of virus that causes gastroenteritis or stomach flu. Usually, it presents with symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. Most healthy people will have recovery over a few days. But for people with a weakened immune system, for example, their symptoms can last longer than that," she says.

Watch: Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse explains norovirus and how to avoid it

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Name super/CG: Nipunie Rajapakse, M.D./Pediatric Infectious Diseases/Mayo Clinic.

Dehydration is a concern, especially for young children, older adults, and those with other health issues or who are pregnant. Those symptoms can include decreased urination, dry throat and mouth, and feeling dizzy when standing up.  

Transmission

"Norovirus is spread through contact with the virus. People sick with norovirus shed the virus in high amounts in their vomit and stool, so coming into contact with the virus is how you get sick. This can be through direct contact or through contaminated food, or you can pick it up from a surface. That's why hand-washing is important and the best way to prevent getting sick with norovirus," says Dr. Rajapakse.

Risk factors

The CDC says that around half of food-related sickness outbreaks caused by norovirus are linked to restaurants or food-related environments. This happens when infected food workers and staff touch food or when it is contaminated.

Dr. Rajapakse says food that is contaminated with norovirus usually looks, smells and tastes normal so it can be difficult to tell it is contaminated.

Norovirus can quickly spread, especially in confined spaces, such as day care centers, nursing homes, schools and cruise ships. These viruses are tough to eliminate since they can endure high and low temperatures and most disinfectants.

"One of the common places that we see norovirus outbreaks occur is in close confined settings, like cruise ships, for example, where you have a lot of people eating from the same places and living in close proximity to each other," says Dr. Rajapakse. "Even one case of norovirus on a cruise ship can spread quickly to others there. That's why it's crucial to make sure that you're washing your hands well, especially before you eat."

Preventing norovirus infection

Antibiotics won't help because it's a viral infection, not bacterial. The best protection is prevention.

Tips to prevent the spread of norovirus:

• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid food and water that might be contaminated.
• Clean fruits and vegetables before eating.
• Cook seafood thoroughly.
• If you're sick, stay home and avoid others.
• Avoid preparing food for others if you are sick with vomiting/diarrhea.
• Disinfect surfaces and counters that may be contaminated.

And use caution when traveling. The CDC tracks outbreaks of norovirus and other diseases. You can learn more on their website. 

The CDC says outbreaks from norovirus are usually more common in the winter months. In countries above the equator, outbreaks are most common from November to April, while they are most common from May to September in countries below the equator. 

Related post:

• Mayo Clinic Minute: What to do when sick with norovirus or ‘stomach flu’

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Evelyn Owens' brave battle with cancer is capturing the hearts of everyone around her.

At only 6 years old, Evelyn was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of childhood cancer.

Evelyn's family traveled from their home in Oregon to Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Arizona where doctors are using cutting-edge technology that's revolutionizing cancer treatment for many patients like her.

Fighting cancer is tough.

Evelyn proved she's tougher.

Watch: Cancer is tough. Evelyn Owens is tougher

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Fighting cancer with the spirit of a warrior and a smile

No matter what life throws at her, Evelyn's parents say she just keeps on smiling. "That's how she looks 99% of the time even if she doesn't feel good," says her mom, Claire Owens. Evelyn's dad agrees. "She's very, very tough," says Austin Owens.

Evelyn's toughness was put to the test when pathology results revealed she had cancer.

"Everybody thought it was a cyst," recalls Claire. "Even after surgery they said it was a cyst, and then the pathology came back as cancer."

What is rhabdomyosarcoma?

Additional tests showed the cancer was rhabdomyosarcoma. RMS begins as a growth of cells in soft tissue, like muscle. It can start anywhere in the body. RMS most often occurs in children younger than the age of ten. Symptoms depend on where the cancer starts and can include lumps under the skin, redness, swelling, and pain.

As part of her treatment, Evelyn's doctors recommended radiation with innovative cancer-fighting technology called proton beam therapy. Her family traveled from their home in Oregon to Mayo Clinic in Arizona so Evelyn could receive the cutting-edge therapy.

Fighting cancer with proton beam therapy

"Proton therapy allows us to treat the area we need to treat completely while protecting many of the normal tissues nearby," says radiation oncologist, Dr. Safia Ahmed. "And for pediatric patients that's very important because all of their tissues are growing."

Proton beam therapy attacks and destroys cancer cells with radiation by targeting the precise location in the body where the cancer is located. "And by minimizing radiation dose and radiation dose side effects to these tissues as they are growing is key. It improves their (patients) quality of life," says Dr. Ahmed.

Evelyn underwent 24 treatments of proton beam therapy over six weeks. Her parents say through it all, she stayed tough and positive.

"I can't imagine going through this with anybody else but you," says Austin about his daughter. "You should be the poster child for going through cancer and cancer treatments. I'm so proud of you and love you so much," he adds.

Evelyn is now 7 years old and back home in Oregon with her family. She will still require some chemotherapy treatment. Doctors say her prognosis looks good. Evelyn will undergo regular monitoring to make sure the cancer does not come back.

These days Evelyn is back to enjoying the things she loves most, like riding ponies with her brother, Henry, and taking her dog, Duke, on walks.

Evelyn's smile is bigger and brighter than ever.

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Watch: Dr. Nusheen Ameenuddin shares screen time recommendations

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Ameenuddin are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network" Name super/CG: Nusheen Ameenuddin, M.D./Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine/Mayo Clinic.

"The key thing that I would want all parents to know is that screens aren't all good or all bad. A lot of this depends on how you use screens," says Dr. Ameenuddin.

Screen time recommendations

Dr. Ameenuddin says there's no evidence that television shows or screen time for young kids have any benefit. Therefore, it's best to try to avoid screen time for kids under 2 years old, with the exception of video chatting with grandparents or other relatives.

"For kids who are between 2 and 5 years of age, no more than about one hour of high-quality educational content, ideally with little to no commercial time," she says.

For kids 5 and older, it's a little more nuanced.

"Once kids are 5 years and older, and they're in school, we used to say no more than two hours of screen time a day of noneducational content. But we understand that that's hard to do. And then oftentimes kids are using screens for really good reasons, for doing schoolwork. So really, what we've started to say is let's make sure it is not taking the place of other important activities, whether that's schoolwork or physical activity, and certainly sleep," says Dr. Ameenuddin.

Potential benefits

"There is potentially a benefit for children in the preschool age with high-quality educational content. There are wonderful shows that have been around for decades that are really focused on teaching kids," she says.

Dr. Ameenuddin says a little bit of high-quality television can help kids learn about other people and cultures.

"There was actually a study done, and as much as we talk about how we don't want to spend a lot of time in front of screens, there is a benefit. There can be diversity enhancement. When children see children of other backgrounds playing with each other, they're actually more likely to say, when shown a group of pictures, that they might want to play with a child of a different background from what they might be used to or from their own background," says Dr. Ameenuddin.

Resources

One of the resources Dr. Ameenuddin recommends for finding quality media content is Common Sense Media. It's a resource that includes ratings and reviews of TV shows, movies, video games, podcasts and more.

Related posts:

• Mayo Clinic Minute: How much screen time is too much for your kids?
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Screen time do's and don'ts for your toddler's brain

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Some areas of the U.S. –and abroad – are seeing an uptick in whooping cough (pertussis) cases – including in parts of Wisconsin.

Whooping cough is an infectious respiratory illness caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. 

"This is an infection that causes quite a significant cough," says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases expert with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center. "It can start like a cold with some runny nose, which then turns into a cough."

Watch: Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse explains pertussis, or whopping cough

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Rajapakse are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Name super/CG: Nipunie Rajapakse, M.D./Pediatric Infectious Diseases/Mayo Clinic.

The infection is characterized by a severe hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like "whoop."

"Generally, the kids who have it can have bouts of coughing where they can't catch their breath. And then after the coughing is finished, they take a big, deep breath to catch their breath from it, and that's where that whooping sound comes from," Dr. Rajapakse says.

Early symptoms of whooping cough

• Runny nose.
• Nasal congestion.
• Red, watery eyes.
• Fever.
• Cough.

 Later symptoms of whooping cough

• Vomiting during or after coughing fits.
• Struggling to breathe.
• Extreme fatigue or exhaustion.
• Ending with a high-pitched "whoop" sound during the next breath of air.

Not everyone with the infection will develop a whoop-sounding cough, and infants may not cough at all. Instead, they may struggle to breathe, or they may even stop breathing temporarily.

Pertussis bacteria produce toxins that inflame the airway.

When to seek medical attention 

• Struggling to breathe.
• Turning blue or purpose.
• Coughing violently or rapidly.
• Not drinking enough fluids.

People of all ages can become infected. However, whooping cough is especially dangerous for babies, particularly those under 6 months. It can lead to severe breathing issues, which may require hospitalization.

Prevention

Whooping cough is a vaccine preventable disease. "Thankfully, this is an infection we have a vaccination for," says Dr. Rajapakse. 

There are two types of vaccine available:

• Diphtheria, tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP)
  This vaccine is for children younger than 7 years old.
• Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap)
  This vaccine is for older children and adults, including pregnant women.
  

Tdap is recommended for pregnant women in each pregnancy to provide babies with early protection against pertussis. This is crucial because the first few months of life pose the highest risk for serious illness, and babies don't receive their first pertussis vaccine dose until they're 2 months old.

Dr. Rajapakse says it's important for anyone in close contact with newborns and young infants, such as parents, grandparents or child care providers, to ensure they are up to date on their pertussis vaccination.

Practicing good hand hygiene also can help reduce the spread of respiratory infections.

The post Understanding whooping cough with a Mayo Clinic expert appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Dr. Nusheen Ameenuddin, a Mayo Clinic pediatrician who is an active member of the AAP, discusses the real effects of screen time on toddlers and if there's a certain amount of screen time that's OK.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:06) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Smartphones, TVs, tablets … screens are everywhere, making it easier than ever for smaller screens to get into smaller hands.

"The main concern that we have with screens and younger children is the fact that screens oftentimes do not provide the same level of educational or interactive back-and-forth input that they need for language development," says Dr. Ameenuddin.

Studies have shown that even supposedly educational content for children under 2 years old can potentially have a detrimental effect on language development and ability to build social skills.

Dr. Ameenuddin says, while there's no strong benefit of technology to kids under 2, there are exceptions to the "no screen time" recommendation.

"That doesn't mean that families can't have video chats with relatives. That's just as important for grandparents and other relatives as it is for young children," says Dr. Ameenuddin. "We know that it's hard for parents, and I don't want anyone to feel bad or to feel guilty. I think the best thing to do is just remember that most things, in moderation, are OK."

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Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatrician with Mayo Clinic Children's Center, says honey can help soothe coughs for adults and children. But, she says, never give honey to a child under 1.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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A spoonful of sugar might help the medicine go down, but the medicine is honey, in this case.

"Honey is safe for anyone ages 1 and above. And it's been shown to be effective and safe for both children and adults," says Dr. Mattke.

Adding honey to warm water or tea, or just a spoonful of honey itself can help with coughs.

"It has been shown to be more effective than over-the-counter cough medications," she says.

Honey helps by soothing the throat and coating cough receptors. Here are her recommendations for children over age 1. 

"You can start with half a teaspoon to a teaspoon, some type of warm liquid. As they get older and they're able to more easily swallow the honey, you can just give it to them directly on a teaspoon," Dr. Mattke says.

She recommends using a teaspoon every two hours. And this dosage applies equally to adults.

"And if you do choose to give honey for cough suppression, we would recommend that you use pasteurized honey," adds Dr. Mattke.

Honey and babies

Honey is generally safe for adults and children over the age of 1. Avoid giving honey, even in small amounts, to infants under the age of 1. Honey may lead to a rare but serious gastrointestinal condition known as infant botulism, triggered by exposure to Clostridium botulinum spores. The bacteria from these spores can thrive and multiply in a baby's intestines, producing a potentially harmful toxin.

Related posts:

• When is a cough a concern?
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Can cold weather cause a cold?
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Why do people get sick with viruses in the winter?

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On Christmas Eve 2022, Sharni Saravanan was rushed to Mayo Clinic Health System in Red Wing. She was pregnant and bleeding, a terrifying combination. But doctors assured Sharni and her husband, Karthik Viswanathan, that she and their baby were fine.

This past year, Christmas Eve looked much different for Sharni and Karthik. There were no trips to the hospital, no worries about anyone's health.

And there was someone new joining the celebration: their son, Heeran, who was born at just 22 weeks.

His survival is a testament to his strength, his parents' love, medical advances, and the efforts of a devoted care team at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

"Fifty years ago, premature babies born at 35 weeks might not have lived past a few days," says Dr. Christopher Colby, a neonatologist at Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester.  "Now, thanks to new technology and scientific discoveries, even the smallest babies, born as early as 22 weeks, have a chance of surviving with an optimistic prognosis for their developmental outcomes."

From routine to high-risk

At a routine checkup in early January 2023, shortly after the Christmas Eve scare, an ultrasound revealed that Sharni's cervix was shortening, increasing the risk of preterm labor. She had a procedure called a cerclage, in which stitches close the cervix to prevent premature birth.

The procedure gave Sharni and Karthik's unborn child a chance to grow.

"Despite a 20% chance of survival, our baby exhibited strength and resilience with no signs of distress," Karthik says, noting that Heeran appeared "content inside his mother's womb."

While Heeran appeared content, Sharni was transferred to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, where a specialized team could monitor her now high-risk pregnancy.

Three weeks after the cerclage procedure, Sharni experienced premature rupture of the membrane — her water broke prior to 37 weeks gestation. She was given steroids to help her unborn baby's lungs develop more quickly, a treatment that improves survival and long-term outcomes in premature babies.

Three days later, Sharni went into labor and delivered her son. Heeran Karsha arrived on Feb. 2, 2023, weighing less than a pound. He was just 10.8 inches long.

"Everyone was so caring and supportive. A few of the nurses would check up on Heeran during the night shifts even if they weren't assigned to him."

Sharni Saravanan

"Infants like Heeran require intensive care from a large multidisciplinary team to provide lifesaving interventions," says Dr. Ray Stetson, a pediatrician and neonatologist who helped care for Heeran in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

For Heeran, those interventions included treating conditions common in premature infants: patent ductus arteriosus, an opening between the two major blood vessels leading from the heart; periventricular leukomalacia, a type of brain damage; and retinopathy of prematurity, a condition in which blood vessels grow abnormally in the retina. He also had surgery to fix a hernia in his lower abdominal wall.

But Heeran (and his parents) received much more than that from his care team.

Caring for tiny patients — and their parents

In addition to expert medical care, Dr. Stetson says he and his colleagues provide "empathy, compassion, transparency and support for the infant's parents during hospitalizations that can last for many months."

That encouragement meant a great deal to Sharni and Karthik.

"Everyone was so caring and supportive," Sharni says of the NICU team. "A few of the nurses would check up on Heeran during the night shifts even if they weren't assigned to him. They also shared a lot of tips during the care time, which gave both of us a lot of confidence."

And when Heeran marked a major milestone — finishing his first bottle — "the whole unit was so happy that they took turns visiting him to tell him how proud they were," Sharni says.

Dr. Ellen Bendel-Stenzel was among the staff cheering Heeran on.

"It's impossible not to form a strong bond with our NICU parents as we celebrate every victory and mourn every setback with them during a prolonged hospitalization," says Dr. Bendel-Stenzel, a neonatologist. "Heeran was a rockstar preemie, beating the odds and rising in the face of adversity with his loving and supportive parents."

That love and support is critical to tiny patients, Dr. Bendel-Stenzel says.

"Over the years, we've learned that having parents actively involved and present in the care of their preterm infant improves both outcomes and the care we provide," she says. "Heeran's parents were an integral part of his growing and healing. They embraced their parental role in this process and were a joy to have on Heeran's healthcare team."

After 110 days in the NICU, Heeran was able to go to his new home in Rochester, where his parents moved to be closer to his care team. While he still receives some oxygen support, he's meeting developmental milestones — and delighting his parents.

"Heeran turns 1 in February, for which we are very grateful and proud," Sharni says. "He likes being held and to sit and listen to different sounds. He is very curious about new things and people."

Updates like that are gifts to the people who care for premature infants and their families. "The milestones met by Heeran and other children like him have positively impacted how I counsel expectant parents facing the potential of extremely preterm birth," says Dr. Jane Brumbaugh, a neonatologist. "Children born at extremely early gestations have the potential to thrive. The strength and resiliency demonstrated by these young infants bring me hope."

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Penicillin belongs to a group of antibiotics used by healthcare professionals to combat a wide array of bacterial infections, including strep throat, ear infections and pneumonia. Penicillin, one of the most widely prescribed antibiotics, is also one of the most frequently reported medication allergies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 10% of people living in the U.S. report having a penicillin allergy. However, less than 1% are truly allergic.

Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center, says if your healthcare team can't prescribe the preferred antibiotic for your bacterial infection due to a listed allergy, it can pose additional risks to your health.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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Reconsidering penicillin allergies

Penicillin is one of the most prescribed antibiotics for bacterial infections. 

"And the best treatments for things like strep throat, ear infections, pneumonia are penicillin or another antibiotic in that same family," says Dr. Rajapakse.

She says if your medical chart indicates a penicillin allergy, your healthcare team needs to look for other options.

"We know that these other antibiotics are often not as effective as a penicillin. So that means you might not get better," Dr. Rajapakse says.

And they can be harder on your system. She says people often misinterpret side effects of the medication as symptoms of an allergy. 

"Symptoms of a true antibiotic allergy are things like hives,rash, so usually a very itchy kind of raised rash that can develop," she says.

It's estimated 50% of people will outgrow the allergy within five years.

"Even if you did have a reaction in the past, it's important to discuss this with your primary care provider. And if it's been enough years out, you may be eligible for testing and to have that allergy removed from your chart," says Dr. Rajapakse.

Testing for penicillin allergy

Talk with your healthcare team to find out if you need to be tested for a penicillin allergy. Penicillin skin testing and oral challenge doses are reliable methods for evaluating a penicillin allergy. 

Related posts:

• Why should I be evaluated for a penicillin allergy?
• What in the world is antimicrobial resistance?
• Let's talk about penicillin allergies

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The new year is bringing a significant rise in respiratory virus activity across the U.S. Many are experiencing coughs, fever and congestion — some of the telltale signs of COVID-19 and influenza. Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a Mayo Clinic pediatric infectious diseases expert, explains why this surge is happening, what still may be to come, and how to protect you and your family.

"We have seen increasing rates of COVID-19 and influenza. Influenza season has not yet peaked, we expect that to happen sometime in the coming weeks. But we are seeing kind of increase in cases and hospitalizations related to both of these viruses," says Dr. Rajapakse.

Watch: Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse discusses increasing levels of respiratory infections

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Rajapakse are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Name super/CG: Nipunie Rajapakse, M.D./Pediatric Infectious Diseases/Mayo Clinic.

Influenza

As the U.S. approaches the peak of the flu season, Dr. Rajapakse says it's not too late to get vaccinated, and she encourages everyone 6 months and older to get this season's flu shot, which she says could help keep you out of the hospital with the flu this season.

A recent report from The Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows seal flu activity continues to be elevated in most parts of the country. Dr. Rajapakse says the trend is concerning.

"We have already this year seen about 20 children who have unfortunately died from influenza already, and the reports coming out are that many of these children and children who are being hospitalized with influenza are those who have not been vaccinated yet," says Dr. Rajapakse.

The influenza strains that are circulating so far this season appear to be well matched to those included in this year's formulation of the vaccine.

COVID-19

"The current predominant variant of COVID-19 circulating in the United States is called JN.1. This variant has some mutations that allow it to escape immunity a bit better — immunity from either vaccination or other prior infection," says Dr. Rajapakse.

She says, thus far, JN.1 doesn't seem to be causing more severe illness, but people who haven't had a recent infection or didn't get the updated COVID-19 vaccine are tending to get sick with this new variant.

"The updated COVID-19 vaccine is providing some protection against this JN.1 variant. It is a descendant of the omicron variant. And so, therefore, there is some cross-protection that would be conferred from that vaccine."

Low vaccination rates could make for more severe flu season

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns about low vaccination rates amid rising cases of illness. Seven million fewer flu vaccines were administered to adults in 2023 compared with 2022. Only 16% of adults have gotten the updated COVID-19 vaccine. The new RSV vaccine for adults 60 and over only has an uptake rate of 15%–16%, according to CDC data.

"Because the last few flu seasons especially have been relatively mild, as people were adhering to precautions around COVID-19, really immunity in the population as a whole is dependent on people getting vaccinated because we just don't have that kind of natural immunity that comes from having a recent influenza infection," says Dr. Rajapakse. "The fact that influenza vaccination rates are extremely low this year really kind of sets us up for a situation where we can see a lot of people getting sick with flu infection."

Related posts:

• Mayo Clinic Minute: Why do more people get sick with viruses in the winter?
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Update adult vaccinations for a new year

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