Health is probably the last thing most people want to think about during the holiday season, but this year may be a good time to keep some safety precautions in mind.
Right now, the country is experiencing what’s being called a “tripledemic,” with influenza, the coronavirus and the respiratory syncytial virus — or RSV — spreading at unusually high levels. Nationwide, there’s been an estimated 13 million illnesses, 120,000 hospitalizations and 7,300 from the flu alone this season. And because many of us didn’t catch the flu in the past few years — precautions to curb the spread of COVID-19 also helped mitigate the spread of other viruses — many health experts say that some of us may have less immunity to common winter viruses, and we could experience more severe symptoms than usual.
To make things a little bit trickier, the flu, COVID-19 and RSV have some overlapping symptoms, so it can be difficult to figure out which one you may have without some research or help from a doctor.
Getting infected with any one of these viruses isn’t fun, and in some cases, it can be deadly. What’s the best way to help protect yourself?
The CDC says: “An annual flu vaccine is the best way to protect against flu. Vaccination helps prevent infection and can also prevent serious outcomes in people who get vaccinated but still get sick with flu. CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older get a flu vaccine annually. Now is a good time to get vaccinated if you haven’t already.”
The same applies to COVID-19.
As for RSV, there are some vaccines in clinical trials, but none are available yet. RSV spreads through both respiratory droplets, like COVID-19, and through contaminated surfaces. It affects primarily young children, but according to the CDC, around 177,000 adults per year are hospitalized with it, too. Health officials are recommending that people wash their hands, disinfect surfaces and stay home when they feel sick to help curb the spread of RSV. Wearing a mask indoors also helps mitigate the spread of these viruses.
The holidays are a time for love, good will and giving back. Hopefully we can curb the spread of these viruses and be able to keep those things the central focus.
