HMPV: What to know about China's human metapneumovirus cases Pictures from China, where cases of the virus are surging, have people worried on social media. BBC News

...HMPV is not like Covid-19, public health experts have said, noting that the virus has been around for decades, with almost every child being infected by their fifth birthday.

However, in some very young children and people with weakened immune systems, it can cause more serious illness. Here is what you need to know. ...

Flu vaccines drop among kids despite record deaths last year: CDC Fewer children in the U.S. have gotten a flu vaccine in 2024 compared to last year, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   As of Nov. 30, about 36 p… aoconnelld The Hill

...

As of Nov. 30, about 36 percent of the nation’s children aged six months to 17 years received a flu vaccination, a drop from last year’s 43 percent.

...

Respiratory illness season begins to ramp up now. Here’s what’s already starting to hit | CNN Respiratory disease season is off to a relatively slow start in the United States, but low vaccination rates threaten that trend and the rapid rise of some illnesses is already putting children at increased risk. Deidre McPhillips CNN

...