What We're Reading: Heat-Related Illness Spike; CDC Updates COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations; New RSV Vaccine Advice for Older Adults

ED Visits for Heat Illness Spike

The CDC has reported an unusually high number of heat-related illnesses across the US, even in areas that aren't accustomed to extreme heat, according to CNN Health. This is mainly due to a lack of air conditioning in homes and bodies unable to handle high temperatures. As a results, physicians are seeing a rise in heat exhaustion and heat stroke cases, especially among outdoor workers, older adults without air conditioning, and people with underlying health conditions. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heat waves, making it a serious public health threat that Americans are still learning to deal with. The CDC has a new heat risk tool that allows people to see a heat forecast and safety recommendations for their area.

CDC Recommends New COVID-19 Vaccines for Everyone 6 Months and Older

The CDC is recommending that individuals 6 months or older receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine for the 2024-2025 immunization campaign, regardless if they were previously vaccinated, according to Reuters. This recommendation will take effect as soon as new vaccines from Moderna, Novavax, and Pfizer are available later this year. The FDA requested the vaccine manufacturers update the shots to attack the KP.2 variant rather than the JN.1 lineage. Moderna and Novavax submitted their applications to the FDA for updating the fall 2024 season shots targeting the JN.1 strain, and Novavax says it is planning to update the vaccine once the season begins and the FDA officially authorizes the decision. Earlier this year, the US had an estimated 4.4% of JN.1 variant cases, dominating over a 2 week period, ending June 22. Recently, however, the KP.3 strain has become the most dominant strain in the US (33.1%) followed by the KP.2 strain (20.8%). Pfizer advises that is is hosting global discussions with regulators, especially the FDA, to discuss the future of its COVID-19 vaccine formulas, Pfizer and BioNTech assure they will be ready to supply their updated vaccines upon arrival, and Moderna says it will be ready with its updated shot in time for the fall vaccination season.

CDC Updates RSV Vaccine Advice for Older Americans

According to NBC News, US health officials are arguing for a stronger endorsement for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for people aged 75 or older, with a more narrow recommendation for people aged 60 to 74 years. In 2023, the same advisory group suggested people aged 60 or older should speak with their doctors about whether they should receive the shot. Physicians have commented that the lenient recommendations can be confusing to patients, and is potentially why less than 25% of older Americans have received the shot. Also during this time, vaccine advisors turned away from recommending older adults receive the shots based on questions about potential adverse effects and the duration of protection. Panel members declined the request by vaccine manufacturers to enforce stricter shot recommendations for all Americans aged 60 or older. These patients are considered at high risk of severe illness if they have chronic heart disease, advanced-stage kidney disease, chronic lung illnesses, severe obesity, live in nursing homes, and are classified as frail.