At its annual press conference yesterday, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) expressed concerns about influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as the country approaches the fall/winter virus season. Less than 1 in 5 Americans said that they do.
Additionally, just 38% of Americans surveyed plan to get a flu shot this year, despite a summer surge in COVID-19 activity and 199 deaths from childhood flu last year. 26% said they would get a coronavirus vaccine.
The survey was conducted from August 8th to 12th and 1,160 people responded.
Concerns about the new coronavirus have faded
The annual press conference is meant to kick off the annual vaccination season, but survey results show the public is moving on from the COVID-19 pandemic and is cautious about getting the annual vaccination. are. Concern about COVID-19 fell from 34% in 2022 to 20% in 2024, and just 17% of those surveyed said they were worried about the flu.
A similar trend was observed regarding masks. 19% of those surveyed said they would wear a mask in a doctor’s office, pharmacy, or hospital this fall and winter, but only 49% of those surveyed said they would wear a mask in a medical setting this fall and winter. . You are required to do so.
Survey results reveal cognitive dissonance among Americans. Although 67% of those surveyed agree that annual influenza vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza-related hospitalizations and deaths, many still refuse to get vaccinated.
“The most important thing people can do to protect themselves as we move into the fall and winter is to get vaccinated,” said Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, at a press conference. Mr. Cohen is the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
During the press conference, Cohen received a flu shot. “I would not recommend anything to Americans that I would not recommend to myself, my family, and my loved ones,” she said.
I wouldn’t recommend anything to Americans that I wouldn’t recommend to myself, my family, and my loved ones.
The NFID survey also reported that only 16% of people are concerned about RSV and 17% are concerned about pneumococcal disease. Among adults for whom RSV vaccination is recommended, 21% say they will definitely get vaccinated this season.
Vaccines have prevented thousands of hospitalizations.
Throughout the press conference, NFID and CDC experts reminded Americans that even if vaccinations do not completely prevent infection, they can reduce the severity of the disease if a person becomes ill.
Demetre Daskalakis, MD, MPH, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said that between 380,000 and 900,000 people were hospitalized with influenza during the 2023-2024 flu season, but the CDC It is estimated that between 105,000 and 240,000 hospitalizations could have been prevented. .
During the typical respiratory virus season of 2023-2024 (October-April), it is estimated that there were 500,000 to 800,000 hospitalizations related to COVID-19; Coronavirus vaccinations likely prevented an additional 40,000 to 100,000 hospitalizations.
