The CDC has been tracking the spread of H5 avian flu since last March. And while it doesn’t typically affect humans, experts are encouraging flu vaccines to reduce the chance of it spreading enough to mutate and better transmit between people.
“You can manage yourself better,” said Tom Leggett with Sonora Quest, whose labs are offering free COVID-19 and flu tests to uninsured Arizonans. “You know whether you have a flu, or if you don't have the flu or COVID, then you might have something that would respond to an antibiotic. “
Leggett added that there are also some free medications available, like Paxlovid, to treat COVID. And that while the CDC is paying for testing, he said, it's ultimately up to patients to seek out care.
“It’s simply you’re positive or you’re negative,” said Leggett. “And then you can figure out the type of treatment based off the severity of the symptoms that you have.”
While the flu vaccine doesn’t protect against bird flu, experts have emphasized that staying generally healthy – including seasonal injections – can keep both forms at bay.
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The victim was an older adult male, but officials have not released any additional details about the case. Temperatures this spring have been much hotter than average. -
The Republican-led Arizona Legislature is looking to ease the requirement that students be taught the relationship between mental and physical health, as well as other social and emotional learning. -
Arizona has 852 health care professional shortage areas – the sixth most in the nation, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. -
The Maricopa County Department of Public Health has confirmed a new case of measles in a county resident. Residents may have been exposed at three sites in the Queen Creek area. -
ASU health headquarters will house multiple degree programs, including the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering.
