Health Advisory: Ongoing Elevated Influenza Activity in the United States

The CDC released a health advisory through its Health Alert Network tled “Elevated Influenza Activity: Influenza B/Victoria and A(H1N1)pdmo9 Viruses are the Predominant Viruses” on January 10, 2020.

This advisory notifies physicians and other health care practitioners that there is an increase in influenza acvity due to influenza B/Victoria viruses, increasing circulation of influenza A(H1N1) pdm09 viruses, and low levels of influenza B/Yamagata and influenza A(H3N2) viruses. Because influenza acvity is elevated
and both influenza A and B virus infecons can cause severe disease and death, this health advisory also serves as a reminder that early treatment with anviral medications improves outcomes in patients with influenza.

ACOG encourages physicians and other health care practitioners to continue to recommend and administer the influenza vaccine to their patients. Physicians and other health care practitioners should counsel patients, especially pregnant women, about the safety and benefits of influenza immunizaon for themselves and their fetuses and advocate for the benefits of passive immunity from maternal immunization to newborns. Patients with flu-like illness should be treated with antiviral medications presumptively regardless of vaccination status.

See ACOG’s Committee Opinions Influenza Vaccination During Pregnancy and Assessment and Treatment of Pregnant Women With Suspected or Confirmed Influenza for more information.