Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Media Briefing on Preventing the Spread of Flu, COVID, and RSV This Fall

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is hosting an expert briefing for the media from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT, Thursday, October 12, on how to take steps to stay healthy as COVID and RSV cases climb and flu season approaches.

In the U.S. and parts of the Northern Hemisphere, COVID and RSV appear to be re-emerging, and influenza is on the horizon. COVID variants continue to mutate and spread widely. Flu and RSV are anticipated to reach pre-COVID rates, but the dramatic increases in RSV and flu illnesses observed in September/October during last year’s season may not materialize until November/December, reflecting pre-COVID seasonal patterns. 

During the briefing, the experts will address how we can prepare for this season’s respiratory viruses as the weather cools and we spend more time indoors and among larger groups of people during the holidays. The professors will also discuss the protection levels of vaccines for all three viruses and the efficacy of testing, ventilation, masks, and other preventative measures. They will also address evidence from the Southern Hemisphere, where influenza strains are circulating, and what it could mean for the U.S. in the coming months. 

Featuring: 

• Andrew Pekosz, PhD, a professor in the departments of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He investigates the replication and disease potential of respiratory viruses, including influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and other emerging viruses.

• Keri Althoff, PhD, an associate professor in the department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She uses large-scale longitudinal data to answer otherwise unanswerable questions and improve health, particularly for populations underrepresented in research.

Registration required: Please register here by 4 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, October 11, to receive the Zoom link and password. Questions may be submitted in advance via the registration form or via chat during the briefing.

Additional Resources

• CDC: Vaccines for Children Program (VFC)
• CDC’s Bridge Access Program
• FDA: At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Test
• Bloomberg School Briefing: How to Navigate COVID Variants, Flu, and RSV This Winter (December 2022)
• Bloomberg School Briefing: Impacts of Relaxed COVID-19 Guidance, Bivalent COVID Boosters, Flu Season, and Monkeypox (September 2022)
• Have Questions About the Bivalent Booster? We Have Answers.
• How Families Can Approach ‘The Great Unmasking’