18-25 Y/O on the Mend and Most Illness Metrics Trended Down

As of May 14, Kinsa data shows that national levels of influenza-like illness (ILI) have fallen for the past week, with less than one percent of the country experiencing fevers. This is the most significant decrease in ILI since the end of February. 

The rate of transmission (Rt) is stable at 0.98, indicating that overall illness transmission is mildly decreasing. Rt is a measure of how many other people one sick person will infect. A transmission rate above one indicates the number of people experiencing illness will increase, while below one means it will decrease. In other promising news, most age groups saw a decline in illness this week. The 18-25 cohort, which had experienced the most illness, saw the steepest declines.

In policy news, the Pfizer vaccine has received authorization to be used in children age 12-15 years old. The CDC also revised their recommendations for vaccinated individuals, now saying they do not need to wear masks or socially distance except in certain situations.