
 
 An atomic bomb explosion (U.S. Air Force/AP) 
 
 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has rescheduled a teaching session on the public health response to a nuclear blast that was to take place Tuesday. But media interest in the topic was unusually strong, given the escalating tensions between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and their most recent war of words over which leader has the larger nuclear arsenal and bigger “nuclear button.” About three dozen media outlets had expressed interest in attending the session, which is broadcast from CDC’s headquarters in Atlanta. On Friday afternoon, the agency said it was changing the topic to influenza and took down the mushroom cloud photo and the announcement about public health responses to a nuclear blast. “The vast majority of this activity has been caused by influenza A H3N2, associated with severe illness in young children and people 65 years and older.” 
 
 Kathy Harben, a spokeswoman for the agency, said the Tuesday session would now address guidance for health professionals on trying to reduce the spread of the flu and to help with shortages of antiviral medicines in some hard-hit areas.
– Fear the flu, not the bomb. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday announced that a session on nuclear attack preparedness scheduled for Tuesday will be postponed to an unspecified date, with the session's topic switching to flu and what can be done to stem its spread. "To date, this influenza season is notable for the sheer volume of flu that most of the United States is seeing at the same time, which can stress health systems," the CDC explained, per the New York Times. The session was originally to feature officials from all levels of government discussing US preparations for a nuclear blast, with presentations on "Preparing for the Unthinkable" and "Roadmap to Radiation Preparedness." The Times notes that the CDC made no mention of whether the delay was at all influenced by the outsize interest in the session, which was announced shortly after President Trump's tweet about nuclear-button size. The Washington Post reports the sessions are part of a larger monthly webinar series called Public Health Grand Rounds, and notes that roughly three dozen media outlets had shared interest in covering the session at the CDC's Atlanta HQ. (This 21-year-old thought rest could take care of the flu; he died days later.)