The last two flu seasons in the U.S. were mercifully mild—one of the few silver linings of the pandemic, as COVID-19 mitigation measures likely also prevented many cases of influenza.
But our luck may run out this year. Australia, which often serves as an (imperfect) predictor of what’s to come in the Northern Hemisphere, has had its worst flu season in half a decade this year, CNN reports. That has some U.S. experts worried about a severe flu season colliding with COVID-19, which continues to infect thousands of people each day. Many doctors are calling for people to get both an updated COVID-19 booster and a flu shot this fall, in hopes of shoring up protection against both viruses before the winter season hits.
Last week, federal health officials recommended that everyone 12 and older get a new bivalent COVID-19 booster, which targets currently circulating Omicron variants. You can get one of the updated shots as long as you’re at least two months out from your last COVID-19 vaccine dose, though some experts recommend waiting a bit longer. Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting a flu shot by the end of October. You can get your COVID-19 booster and your flu shot simultaneously if you want to consolidate side effects and trips to the pharmacy, the CDC says.
Someday, it may be even easier to get dual protection against COVID-19 and the flu. Vaccine makers Moderna and Novavax are working on shots that would target both viruses in a single injection. It’s not clear if or when these combination shots might be available, but their development offers a glimpse into what living with both COVID-19 and influenza may look like moving forward
TODAY'S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK
More than 605.5 million people around the world had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 1:30 am. E.T. today, and more than 6.5 million people have died. On Sept. 5, there were more than 1.1 million new cases and 8,036 new deaths confirmed globally.
Here's how the world as a whole is currently trending, in terms of cases:
And in terms of deaths:
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
And here's every country that has reported over 10 million cases:
The U.S. had recorded more than 94.7 million coronavirus cases as of 1:30 am. E.T. today. Nearly 1.05 million people have died. On Sept. 5, there were 19,774 new cases reported in the U.S., and 65 deaths were confirmed.
Here's how the country as a whole is currently trending in terms of cases:
And in terms of deaths:
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of Sept. 6. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
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WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
About 60 million people across China are currently under lockdown orders, as the country’s leaders continue their aggressive attempts to control the virus. Residents of cities including Chengdu, Shenzhen, and Daqing are currently under full or partial lockdown restrictions, according to the New York Times, even though only about 1,500 new cases were reported nationwide on Sunday.
Chinese regulators approved the world’s first inhaled COVID-19 booster shot, CNN reports. A few regulatory steps remain before people in China can get the vaccine, which is made by CanSino Biologics and administered through a puff of air into the mouth. Experts hope nasal and inhaled vaccines can enhance the protection offered by traditional injected vaccines and help block transmission of the virus, but CanSino has not studied whether its product can prevent COVID-19 infections.
Scientists are also working to develop shots that can target many coronavirus strains at once—and researchers from the California Institute of Technology may be on the right track. They developed an experimental vaccine that prompts the body to produce antibodies that can fight numerous coronaviruses, including various SARS-CoV-2 variants and the original SARS virus. It's only been tested in animals so far, but it’s an encouraging sign that universal coronavirus vaccines may be possible.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com. If you have specific questions you'd like us to answer, please send them to covidquestions@time.com.
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Today's newsletter was written by Jamie Ducharme and edited by Angela Haupt.
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