Ranking Member Scott Urges CDC to Protect Aging Community From Upcoming Flu Season

WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Tim Scott (R-S.C.) sent a letter to the Biden administration, urging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to focus on protecting older Americans in light of the upcoming influenza season. 

The letter, sent to the CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, comes as the 2020-21 flu season was the mildest on record, leading to concern among some experts that the upcoming flu season could be more severe, due to less data about the prevalent flu strains as well as reduced flu immunity in patients. The CDC must also take steps to educate healthcare providers and patients about the flu, and find ways to protect older Americans in the community and across settings of care. 

In the letter, RM Scott reemphasizes that “Improving the health and welfare of older Americans is one of the top priorities of the Senate Special Committee on Aging and that we need to ensure that the agency is taking every possible precaution to protect seniors during the upcoming flu season.”

By providing the information requested, the CDC will help us understand how the CDC is working to mitigate the flu’s impact on the senior population and ensure that those who endured the largest burden of the COVID -19 pandemic will be protected during the upcoming flu seasons.

The full letter can be found here.