Traveling during the holidays comes with many risks — overbooked flights, delays, bad weather and exposure to COVID-19. And now, people can add exposure to measles to the list. Measles is a viral disease that causes a characteristic rash. The Virginia Public Health Department has issued a warning to people who were at Dulles International Airport on Jan. 3 and Ronald Reagan National Airport on Jan. 4 of this year. Specifically those who were near the international arrivals area of the main terminal at Dulles airport between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Jan. 3, and to those in Terminal A of the Ronald Reagan airport between 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on January 4, 2024, as they might have been exposed to measles. 

Read more at Salon.

Quenten Thomas, 27, a father of three young kids in Maryville, Tennessee, died last week due to complications of the flu.

He was coughing and having trouble breathing, his father, Robert Thomas, told NBC News.

“It hurt really bad when he coughed, and he was having trouble catching (his) breath,” Robert Thomas recalled. He’d been using a finger monitor to keep track of his blood oxygen levels. “He noticed his oxygen was dropping, so he went to the hospital asking for oxygen first,” Robert Thomas said.

Read more at Today.

January marks Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, a time dedicated to educating and spreading awareness about cervical cancer, its prevention, and the significance of early detection. Cervical cancer remains a significant health concern worldwide, but advancements in medical science have provided powerful tools for prevention, particularly through the development of HPV vaccines. The theme for Cervical Health Awareness Month in 2024 is “Learn. Prevent. Screen”, which mainly emphasises the need of educating individuals about reducing cervical cancer risks and the life-saving benefits of frequent checkups.

Read more at Netmeds.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending new vaccines for adults and kids in 2024, according to its latest annual guidelines finalized Jan. 11. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a collection of medical and public-health experts who regularly review evidence and research about vaccines, compiled the new guidelines.

Like it does every year, ACIP recommends that American adults receive an annual flu shot and several standard vaccinations, such as those for chickenpox (if they haven’t had it already) and tetanus. For infants and children, the pediatric immunization plan that includes shots such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine remains mostly the same.

Read more at Time.

Fresh off the holidays, and now in the heart of winter, respiratory viruses are making their seasonal rounds through Colorado. And much like a lingering guest, the crud is sticking around longer than anyone wants.

“We’re seeing a lot of flu,” said Dr. Michelle Barron, Senior Director of Infection Prevention at UCHealth. “So certainly, if you’re down for the count, and you’re feeling it, it might be the flu.”

She said COVID, RSV, and the common cold are also circulating.

Read more at 9 News.

More than three years into the pandemic, hundreds of Americans are still dying from COVID-19 every week.

For the week ending Dec. 9, the last week of complete data, there were 1,614 deaths from COVID, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The last four weeks of complete data show an average of 1,488 weekly deaths.

By comparison, there were 163 weekly deaths from the flu for the week ending Dec. 9, according to CDC data.

Read more at ABC.

A measles outbreak in Philadelphia has expanded to eight confirmed and three suspected cases with three patients hospitalized, city health officials said Monday. Vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and polio remain a public health threat. And with childhood vaccine hesitancy on the rise, the problem could get worse.

Officials at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health are now warning the public about several known exposure sites across the city, including healthcare facilities and a daycare center.

Read more at Forbes.

The field of public health has seen numerous significant achievements throughout history, but one that particularly stands out is the development of the measles vaccine. This vaccine has not only played a crucial role in reducing the spread of measles but also in preventing serious complications associated with the disease. Its impact is most notable among vulnerable populations, especially children, whom it has helped protect from the harmful effects of measles. The widespread use of the measles vaccine has undoubtedly contributed to the decline in measles-related deaths and has been a key component in global efforts to eradicate the disease. The development and successful implementation of the measles vaccine have been recognized as a major public health milestone.

Read more at Medriva.

In most U.S. states, respiratory illness levels are currently considered “high” or “very high,” according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A few respiratory viruses have been driving the upward trend. “The influenza virus is the thing that’s really skyrocketing right now,” says Dr. Steven Stack, public health commissioner for the state of Kentucky and president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. “Influenza is sharply escalating and driving more hospitalizations.”

Read more at NPR.

Have you ever wondered why babies get vaccines starting from the day they’re born? One big reason: The youngest are most at risk of diseases. It’s also the time in your child’s development that their immune system learns the most from vaccines.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, a good time to check whether your child is up to date on vaccines, which help to provide immunity before kids are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. Of all age groups, babies are more often hospitalized, and sometimes die, from diseases we can prevent with vaccines. That’s why most of the childhood vaccines are recommended during your baby’s first 12 to 18 months of life.

Read more at Chicago Tribune.