Clinical outcomes worse for young, immunocompromised COVID patients In a national case series, 11.4% of immunocompromised patients younger than 21 years with COVID-19 admitted for intensive care died, compared to 4.6% of their peers with healthy immune systems. CIDRAP

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In addition to almost triple the rate of in-hospital mortality, patients with ICCs had longer hospital stays.

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Health workers fear it's profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission As the CDC revisits its airborne transmission guidelines, health care workers fear the agency is repeating past mistakes about mask guidance to prevent the spread of viruses. Yahoo News

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CDC urges vaccination amid rise in measles cases in the US and globally | CNN US government health officials are warning doctors about the dramatic rise in measles cases around the world, and advising families traveling to a measles-affected country to get babies as young as 6 months vaccinated before they go. Brenda Goodman CNN

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COVID-19 is waning but these viruses are still hanging around as we head into early spring While wastewater surveillance data shows COVID-19 cases falling, it reveals other respiratory and stomach viruses are picking up. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY USA TODAY

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Brisk US flu activity continues as COVID indicators drop further The nation's flu activity remained elevated last week, with an increase in test positivity, as levels of two other respiratory viruses—COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—continued their steady declines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in updates today. CIDRAP

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US agency urges interim payments for healthcare providers hit by UnitedHealth hack The U.S. government said on Friday it has urged states to make interim payments to healthcare providers that were hit by the cyberattack at UnitedHealth's unit Change Healthcare. Reuters Reuters

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Brisk US flu activity continues as COVID indicators drop further The nation's flu activity remained elevated last week, with an increase in test positivity, as levels of two other respiratory viruses—COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—continued their steady declines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in updates today. CIDRAP

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Measles cases on the rise: Transmission, symptoms and vaccine info | CNN

How worried should people be about the measles? An expert explains | CNN Measles cases are rising in the US, according to the CDC. Dr. Leana Wen explains how measles spreads, its symptoms and why it’s considered a dangerous disease. Katia Hetter CNN

The CDC could shrink under a second Trump administration A CDC reorganization as some conservatives are calling for could impact the agency's ability to help prevent or mitigate the spread of disease, according to a former agency director. POLITICO

Fueled by a distrust of the CDC’s handling of Covid-19 and the recommendations it made on measures like masking and vaccines, many conservatives want the agency dismantled — and hope a second Trump administration could make it happen.

Blood Test Could Predict Long-Term COVID-19 Lung Problems New research alleviates concerns that severe COVID-19 could trigger relentless, ongoing lung scarring that could lead to death. Joshua Barney UVA Health Newsroom

UVA Health researchers have discovered a potential way to predict which patients with severe COVID-19 are likely to recover well and which are likely to suffer “long-haul” lung problems. That finding could help doctors better personalize treatments for individual patients.

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