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Pediatric health provider groups are calling on the Biden administration to declare a national emergency to help them combat the surge of hospitalizations due to respiratory illnesses in children. Seasonal flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory viruses are hitting young children especially hard this year. The resulting hospitalizations are putting an immense strain on a pediatric health system that is still reeling from COVID-19. (Weixel, 11/15)

The pediatric care organizations argue that significant capacity issues in hospitals can only be solved by a federal emergency declaration from the White House and Health and Human Services secretary — like the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency. An emergency declaration would allow for more telehealth flexibilities and waive certain Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program requirements that make it difficult for providers to share resources. (Cohen, 11/16)

Even after leading the charge combating the worst pandemic in a century, vaccine researcher Kathrin Jansen doesn’t feel that she can relax. Another pandemic — this one based on an influenza virus — is inevitable, Jansen said at the annual STAT Summit on Tuesday. (Goldhill, 11/16)

“With the triple threat of seasonal flu, COVID-19 and RSV looming, we’re advising people to get their flu vaccine and updated COVID-19 boosters before their Thanksgiving get-togethers,” Dr. Fermin Leguen, district health officer for the Southern Nevada Health District, said in a news release. It takes about two weeks for a vaccine to provide full protection. (Hynes, 11/16)

“This is the first year where we’re not only facing COVID but also increased influenza activity and unusually high levels of RSV,” Dr. Sarah Rudman, deputy health officer for Santa Clara County, said during a press briefing. “These are two other types of viruses that can also cause possibly the same respiratory symptoms as COVID, but can also cause severe respiratory disease — or even life-threatening disease.” (Vaziri and Kawahara, 11/16)

Pediatric hospitals continue to feel the pinch of surging RSV cases as the number of flu cases begin to jump in Missouri — all ahead of indoor and holiday gatherings that could worsen spread even more. (Munz, 11/16)

An international study reveals that flu vaccines greatly reduce both pneumonia and cardiovascular complications in people with heart failure. The study was conducted by researchers from McMaster University in Canada and published in The Lancet Global Health. The large randomized controlled trial was conducted in 10 countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Heart failure patients were matched 1:1 to receive either an annual flu shot for up to 3 years or a placebo injection of saline. (11/16)