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For Jan. 2, WGN’s Dina Baur has the latest on new medical information, including:
Respiratory illnesses on the rise
A trifecta of respiratory illnesses will soon get worse, but it also depends on where you live.
CDC data shows COVID-19 and flu cases are on the rise while RSV cases have remained high.
In the last week of 2023, close to 30,000 new patients were hospitalized for COVID-19, the highest since last January.
Another 14,000 Americans were hospitalized for the flu.
Part of the problem remains low vaccination rates for COVID-19, flu and RSV.
A CDC map of infections shows they’re the highest in New Mexico and in southeastern states.
While the lowest are in Montana, Nebraska, Vermont, and West Virginia.
Popular inhaler now harder to get
As of Jan. 1, 2024, the Flovent inhaler that thousands of asthma patients rely on, is no longer available. While there’s a generic version available, it’s more difficult to get.
The manufacturer behind the inhaler, GSK, discontinued Flovent but says the generic version is identical.
Physicians say it works just as well as the branded drug but it isn’t as widely covered by insurers.
That could mean delays for those who have to get new prescriptions and sort out coverage hurdles. The change comes as respiratory infections are on the rise.
Doctors are urging patients to take action now.
Americans are getting shorter
Americans are getting shorter, according to an analysis by The Washington Post.
The newspaper found Americans born after 1980, also known as millennials, weren’t as tall as previous generations.
The time period also coincides with a rise in childhood obesity, leading some researchers to speculate weight may be affecting height but a clear link has not yet been established.
The Post also found the tallest men in America tend to be public officials and sales representatives.
Among women, the tallest are also public officials and top executives.
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