As the 2024-2025 flu season continues, early data suggest that flu vaccines this year have significantly reduced hospitalizations and outpatient visits in vaccinated individuals. Public health experts highlight the value of flu vaccination, especially in light of the possible virulence of strains present this season. With attention on vaccine efficacy, the present situation of flu cases, and flu vaccination's future, here's what you should know.

Inital reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that the 2024-2025 flu vaccine has shown remarkable effectiveness in avert severe cases of the flu, especially among children. The findings, extracted from two healthcare center networks under the surveillance of the CDC, show that the vaccine has been as effective as 78% in averting hospitalization in children and teens.

For adults, the effectiveness of the vaccine in avoiding hospitalization has been between 41% and 55%. Furthermore, flu vaccines have decreased outpatient visits, such as doctor visits, urgent care, and emergency room visits. In children and adolescents, the effectiveness of the vaccine for outpatient visits was found to be 32%, 59%, and 60% in various healthcare networks, while in adults it was between 36% and 54%.

Despite variations in regional effectiveness, experts maintain that this year’s flu shots offer strong protection comparable to previous high-efficacy flu seasons over the last 15 years.

Influenza viruses can be grouped into two broad categories—A and B—which, in turn, split into subtypes. For the current season, influenza A viruses, including H1N1 and H3N2, have prevailed in flu cases across the country. Although flu shots have conferred robust protection against H1N1, against H3N2, it has been moderately lower. In areas where H3N2 is more concentrated, according to studies, flu shots have less frequently prevented cases among pediatric outpatients.

Laboratory testing research on ferrets, the typical animal model used for influenza research, has shown that the flu vaccine this year is not quite as good a fit for the spreading H3N2 viruses as it is for H1N1. Even so, general flu vaccine effectiveness is in line with previous flu seasons, and public health authorities continue to recommend widespread immunization.

Changes in Flu Shot Formulation- What's Different This Year?

For the first time since 2012, the U.S. flu vaccine has changed from a quadrivalent (four-component) to a trivalent (three-component) formula. This year's vaccine protects against two influenza A subtypes—H1N1 and H3N2—and one influenza B strain called the Victoria lineage. The fourth component from last year, the Yamagata lineage of influenza B, has been dropped, since international data show it might have become extinct.

Is It Too Late to Get Vaccinated for Flu?

Although the best time to get vaccinated is early fall before flu cases start to peak, it's never too late to get the flu shot. The CDC advises annual flu vaccination for all individuals above six months of age, and since flu cases can persist until May, getting vaccinated even later in the season can be of great benefit.

For those who still need to get their flu vaccination, infectious disease specialists say immunization is still important, especially for vulnerable populations, including:

• Pregnant women
• Elderly patients aged 65 and above
• People with pre-existing chronic health conditions
• Young children aged less than five years

Although the number of cases of flu might start decreasing towards spring, getting vaccinated can keep severe complications low and curtail the virus transmission.

In spite of the effectiveness of this season's flu shot, the next year's vaccine hangs in uncertainty. Generally, an FDA advisory panel gathers in early spring to choose strains for the upcoming year's vaccine. But this year, the meeting that was planned was abruptly canceled, leaving public health experts anxious.

Manufacturing of flu vaccine takes months because the chosen virus strains have to be grown in chicken eggs prior to mass production. Delaying strain selection will affect supplies of vaccines for the 2025-2026 season, which could translate to higher rates of severe illness and hospitalization.

In spite of these obstacles, the World Health Organization (WHO) has persevered with its yearly flu strain selection process, and only time will tell if the FDA will proceed on their own with strain selection in time for manufacturers to achieve the production timeline necessary.

Why Flu Vaccination Remains Essential?

Influenza is a potentially serious disease that can result in hospitalization and even death, especially in high-risk populations. Although some flu seasons are less severe than others, flu vaccines are essential in preventing complications, curbing the transmission of the virus, and reducing the burden on healthcare systems.

With the 2024-2025 flu season demonstrating promising vaccine efficacy, public health officials continue to emphasize the need for universal immunization. With flu cases continuing across various regions, vaccination remains the best method in preventing yourself and your loved ones from getting sick.

The 2024-2025 flu season has shown the power of this year's vaccine to prevent severe illness and hospitalizations. While there are regional differences, especially from the H3N2 strain, overall vaccine effectiveness is strong, matching some of the most protective flu seasons in the last 15 years. With flu season still present, health professionals recommend that individuals who have not yet been vaccinated get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Federal health officials are taking a closer look at the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant women and children, while also weighing updates to recommendations for older adults.

According to U.S. News, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing reports of possible birth defects following vaccination during pregnancy and is preparing data on deaths in children after receiving COVID shots.

The review will be presented during a September 18-19, 2025, meeting with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) vaccine advisory committee, CNN reported. Experts emphasise that the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), one of the primary tools being used in the review, is a monitoring system meant to detect potential safety signals. It does not establish that vaccines directly caused the reported health problems.

What Is VAERS?

The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is designed to act as an early-warning tool, flagging potential safety signals that may warrant further study. “VAERS is a system that generates hypotheses,” explained Dr Demetre Daskalakis, who recently stepped down as director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, in an interview with CNN.

So far, large-scale studies have continued to show that COVID-19 vaccines are safe in pregnancy. The CDC has tracked outcomes in more than 23,000 pregnant women through one registry and more than 45,000 in another database, finding no increased risk of miscarriage, major birth defects, or other complications. Similarly, Pfizer reported that rates of birth defects in vaccinated participants during a clinical trial were comparable to those in the general population.

The CDC advisory committee is also expected to discuss whether vaccine guidance for older adults should be revised. While COVID vaccines are currently approved for adults 65 and older, as well as younger adults at high risk of severe illness, the panel may consider recommending them mainly for those 75 and older, or for younger individuals with underlying conditions.

ALSO READ: Is 'Stratus' COVID Variant The Pandemic’s Next Chapter In 2025 With New Symptoms?

New COVID Variant ‘Stratus’ Dominates U.S. Cases

COVID-19 activity remained high across the United States during the first week of September, according to fresh data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite the confusion around emerging strains, shifting vaccine guidelines, and cuts to vaccine development funding, the agency continues to track cases, hospitalisations, and deaths on a weekly basis.

For the four weeks ending August 30, projections show that a new variant called XFG. nicknamed “Stratus” accounted for 78 percent of infections nationwide. The next most common strains were NB.1.8.1 at 14 percent and LP.8.1 at 3 percent.

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What Is the ‘Stratus’ Variant?

XFG is a late-summer Omicron offshoot and a recombinant strain, formed by blending two earlier lineages: F.7 and LP.8.1.2. Scientists say the variant may carry mutations that help it slip past parts of the immune system more effectively, though there is no evidence yet that it spreads faster than previous strains.

The CDC advises people to watch for familiar COVID-19 symptoms, which continue to include:

1. Fever or chills
2. Cough
3. Fatigue
4. Sore throat
5. Loss of taste or smell
6. Congestion
7. Muscle aches
8. Shortness of breath
9. Headache
10. Nausea or vomiting

Every year on September 17, the world pauses to reflect on one of the most pressing challenges in healthcare, patient safety. Since its launch by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019, World Patient Safety Day has become a global campaign calling for stronger collaboration, awareness, and action to prevent avoidable harm in healthcare systems.

In 2025, the theme is “Safe care for every newborn and every child”, with the slogan “Patient safety from the start!”. The message is clear: children are not just fragile as they do not have the same levels of immunity as adults, they require special attention, protection, and tailored medical care from the very beginning of life.

Why Patient Safety Matters

Patient safety is not an isolated goal; it is the very foundation of healthcare. Without safe practices, no system can achieve universal health coverage or progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The WHO emphasizes that unsafe care remains one of the top ten causes of death and disability worldwide, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups such as newborns and children.

The objectives of World Patient Safety Day include:

• Increasing public awareness and commitment to safety.
• Promoting global solidarity for safer healthcare.
• Addressing specific issues that put patients at risk.
• Empowering families and communities to play an active role.

Focus on Children’s Health

Children are particularly vulnerable to risks in healthcare. Unlike adults, they cannot decide which clinic to visit or which treatment to accept. They must rely entirely on parents, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. Their smaller bodies, developing immune systems, and emotional needs mean they often respond differently to illness and medical interventions.

The German Coalition for Patient Safety (APS) stresses that children should not be treated through an “adult lens.” Its slogan for 2025: “Patient safety from childhood onwards, an investment for life", captures the long-term importance of safe care for the youngest patients. APS is also encouraging parents, pediatricians, obstetricians, and nurses to share their experiences and identify both strengths and gaps in healthcare delivery.

A Global Call for Action

The urgency of this year’s theme is evident in global statistics. WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Janabi, recently highlighted that poor quality care, rather than lack of access, accounts for 60% of maternal deaths and 56% of neonatal deaths in low- and middle-income countries.

While access to hospitals has improved in many regions, unsafe practices, such as inadequate infection prevention, misdiagnosis, or insufficiently trained staff, continue to harm patients. Encouragingly, 21 African countries have already introduced National Quality Policies and Strategies that include patient safety measures like infection control, but more progress is needed.

Building on Past Efforts

World Patient Safety Day campaigns in previous years have focused on areas such as safe childbirth, medication safety, health worker safety, and diagnostic safety. This year’s emphasis on paediatric and newborn care builds on those efforts, recognizing that safety at the start of life shapes long-term health outcomes.

The Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030 provides a roadmap to strengthen safe practices through:

• Safer clinical processes.
• Improved training and workforce competencies.
• Stronger patient and family engagement.
• Advocacy and education beginning from childhood.

From Awareness to Action

World Patient Safety Day 2025 is not just about raising awareness, it is also about mobilizing concrete action. Governments, hospitals, professional associations, and civil society organizations are being urged to implement sustainable strategies to safeguard children’s health. Parents and caregivers, too, are encouraged to actively participate in their child’s medical journey by asking questions, understanding treatment plans, and advocating for safe care.

Around the world, awareness activities will include advocacy campaigns, technical discussions, and the illumination of landmarks in orange, the signature color of the campaign. These symbolic gestures serve as powerful reminders that safe healthcare is a universal right, not a privilege.

Patient Safety From the Start

This year’s slogan, “Patient safety from the start!”, underscores that ensuring safe care from birth is not optional, it is essential. Protecting children from avoidable harm is both a moral responsibility and an investment in healthier societies.

World Patient Safety Day 2025 is a reminder that safe care is achievable when everyone, from policymakers to frontline nurses, and from parents to international organizations, works together. After all, safeguarding the health of children today ensures a stronger, healthier world tomorrow.

Just 10 days after the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared an Ebola virus outbreak in Kasai province, health authorities have rolled out a vaccination drive targeting frontline workers and contacts of patients, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed in its latest update.

First Vaccines Arrive in Bulape

The first consignment of 400 doses of Ervebo (VSV-EBOV) was dispatched to Bulape health zone from a national stockpile of 2,000 doses stored in Kinshasa. Some frontline health workers in the capital had already received the vaccine. The WHO said additional shipments are expected in the coming days to sustain the response effort.

Health teams are deploying a “ring vaccination” strategy, which prioritizes those at the highest risk of infection, including patient contacts and health workers directly exposed to cases.

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Global Support for Vaccine Supply

To ensure adequate coverage, the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision has approved an additional 45,000 doses to be sent to the DRC. The WHO is assisting the Ministry of Health in formalizing a request for these doses and has also worked with partners to draw up a detailed immunization plan. Training sessions for vaccination teams are underway to streamline the rollout.

Alongside vaccines, treatment options are being reinforced. Courses of the monoclonal antibody therapy MAb114 (ansuvimab-zykl, commercially known as Ebanga) have already been dispatched to treatment centers in Bulape to support patient care.

Rising Case Numbers and Death Toll

Despite these interventions, the outbreak continues to grow. At a meeting of the provincial Ebola emergency committee on September 13, officials reported a sharp increase in infections and fatalities. According to the DRC’s National Public Health Laboratory (INRB), total cases have now risen to 81, with 28 deaths recorded, marking a case-fatality rate of 34.6%.

The latest figures represent a significant jump from a few days earlier, when authorities reported 68 suspected cases (including 20 confirmed) and 16 deaths.

Also Read: Congo Ebola Outbreak Caused By The Zaire Strain So Far Has 28 Deaths, Confirms WHO

Of seven new suspected cases detected in the Bulape health zone, five have been confirmed through laboratory testing. This highlights both the rapid spread of the virus and the crucial role of diagnostic capacity in containing the outbreak.

Expanding Contact Tracing

Efforts to trace and monitor contacts are also being scaled up. Health officials identified 58 new contacts in recent days, bringing the total to 716. Contact tracing is a cornerstone of the response, enabling teams to vaccinate and monitor individuals most likely to have been exposed.

In a further boost to local capacity, another 360 vaccine doses have arrived in Tshikapa, the provincial capital of Kasai. This shipment is expected to support wider vaccination efforts in neighboring areas.

With Ebola continuing to claim lives in Kasai, health authorities in the DRC and their global partners are racing to contain the outbreak. Vaccines, therapeutic drugs, and intensive contact tracing remain at the heart of the strategy. However, the rising case count underscores the urgent need to maintain momentum and secure sufficient supplies before the virus spreads further.