On Thursday, Jan. 8, the NYC Health Department held a press conference to discuss how the city is navigating this year’s respiratory virus season and to affirm the department’s vaccine recommendations amid changes to the childhood vaccine schedule at the federal level.
Acting Health Commissioner, Dr. Michelle Morse led the discussion and said, “This year’s respiratory virus season arrived earlier than usual with significant numbers of flu cases reported starting in October. With few exceptions the numbers have steadily increased since then.”
She said that for the week ending Dec. 20, there were more than 32,000 positive flu cases in the city, the highest weekly total since 2005 which was the first year the flu was made reportable.
Dr. Morse pointed out that for the week ending Jan. 3, more than 128,000 New Yorkers tested positive for flu so far this season, “far more than what was reported at this point in either of the past two flu seasons.”
“There were more than 12,000 cases reported last week. Roughly one in three were children under the age of 18. Flu season can extend into May, and other respiratory viruses like RSV and COVID are also circulating,” she said.
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“This is not the time for New Yorkers to relax their efforts to protect themselves and their families and communities from these deadly viruses,” she said, adding that, “The best tool we have for preventing severe illness is vaccination and, right now, the federal government is calling that tool into question.”
Dr. Morse said that nationwide nine children have died from the flu so far this season.
At the federal level, under new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the schedule now endorses routine vaccination for 11 diseases, down from about 17 previously. Vaccines for influenza, COVID-19, rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, and meningococcal disease are no longer broadly recommended for every child; instead, they are offered only to high-risk groups or through “shared clinical decision-making” between parents and clinicians.
‘No evidence to support the change in Federal recommendations’
At Thursday’s press conference, Dr. Morse said, “Let me be very clear; there’s no evidence to support the change in federal recommendations and vaccines remain safe, effective, and recommended to prevent serious illness.”
“We continue to recommend that children receive all vaccines as previously recommended by the CDC. That means everyone, including our youngest New Yorkers six months and older, should get a flu vaccine,” Dr. Morse said.
Dr. Eyssallenne, New York’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said at the press conference, “I’ve cared personally for multiple children who have tested positive for flu in the last couple of months. Most of them have been able to avoid the hospital, especially, especially if they were vaccinated.”
She added that rotavirus, the vaccine for which has been removed from the list of vaccines recommended for all children, used to “wreak havoc” on the city’s health care system.
“Entire floors were dedicated to taking care of these children. Children, babies, for weeks… And so, we cannot go back,” she said
“Despite all the confusion at the federal level, our recommendations have not changed. They remain clear. They remain consistent. Everyone six months and older should get vaccinated for COVID-19 and the flu even if they have previously been vaccinated or gotten sick.”
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