Public Health

Flu activity appears to be declining slightly in central and south-central states but is still highest in these regions, according to the CDC's April 1 FluView report. 

The rate in which COVID-19 cases are falling nationwide has been slowing over the last month as the omicron subvariant BA.2 gains prominence, according to the CDC's COVID-19 data tracker weekly review published April 1.

The World Health Organization is monitoring a new omicron variant — dubbed XE — that's a hybrid of BA.1, the original omicron strain, and BA.2, a highly transmissible subvariant.

New CDC data shows teenagers' mental health took a significant hit during the pandemic, with 44 percent reporting persistent sadness or hopelessness in the past year. 

COVID-19 deaths are falling nationwide, but seven states are still seeing higher daily death averages than recorded two weeks ago. 

A number of states have announced they are no longer operating in crisis mode to manage COVID-19 as cases nationwide continue to fall. 

As it stands, the nation's healthcare infrastructure is not equipped to withstand routine bouts of COVID-19 surges, Megan Ranney, MD, wrote in a March 28 opinion piece published in The Washington Post.

State and local officials are scaling back public health efforts and closing vaccination sites amid a national lull in COVID-19 activity and low demand for the services, a move some health experts say may be premature amid the omicron subvariant…

The White House has adjusted its COVID-19 prevention messaging to emphasize the role of indoor air quality, a move many experts say was long overdue, The Washington Post reported March 29.

The BA.2 omicron subvariant accounts for about 55 percent of new cases in the U.S., according to the CDC's latest estimates for the week ending March 26.