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As the tripledemic wreaks havoc on the festive season, health professionals provide some advice to assist people in fighting the invasion of respiratory infections.
Due to increased travel over the holidays, beginning with Thanksgiving, respiratory virus cases have suddenly increased. Due to the three primary respiratory viruses infecting the population, Covid-19, Influenza, and the Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, scientists have dubbed it a tripledemic.
Recent data from the Department of Health and Human Services indicates that patients with the flu currently occupy more than 77% of hospitals in the US. In addition, despite a decrease in Covid cases from the previous year, officials continue to report a sharp increase in cases nationwide. For instance, about 3,000 Americans die from respiratory infections each week, raising concerns among national health experts.
“Everyone is ready to do as much as they can that they have done in normal holiday periods, especially as many of us have given it up for a couple of years. We’re entering a new normal where we have to navigate how best to do what we want to do,” shared Dr. Henry Wu, an epidemiologist from Emory University.
Experts give professional recommendations for people in reaction to the notable increase in impacted individuals. According to experts, families who abide by these recommendations may be able to prevent the spread of respiratory infections and the victimization of vulnerable people.
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Plan the holidays safely
Wu contends that families should order their tasks by importance and separate the ones that call for social interaction. In addition, people must consider the demography of a given event, Wu continued.
If there will be youngsters and senior citizens present, holding a smaller gathering may be preferable to hosting a larger one. This is because they are more deadly when respiratory illnesses strike young people and older people who already have respiratory issues.
“Every family and every individual is going to be a little different. So if you would like to do as much as you can to avoid getting sick when you’re getting together, if you want to protect the vulnerable person, whether they’re elderly or an infant, then definitely incorporate some of the lessons from the last few years,” said Wu.
Secure respiratory disease vaccines
All medical professionals advise vaccination. It is practical to develop immunity to different respiratory illnesses in this way. Additionally, clinics and medical facilities have Moderna and Pfizer’s Covid-19 booster injections in stock.
To keep families safe, getting them is necessary. Therefore, experts strongly advise patients to receive flu vaccinations in addition to Covid-19 supplements. More than 13 million Americans have the flu, according to a new estimate from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The sense is that this year’s vaccine is a pretty good match to the strain circulating. And much like COVID vaccines, flu shots don’t prevent all infections. Still, they can help prevent hospitalizations, deaths, and transmission,” said Dr. Preeti Malani, a specialist from the University of Michigan.
Stay at home
The chief of the CDC, Rochelle Walensky, asked anyone with symptoms to stay at home. She does, however, caution that when going outside, individuals must always wear face masks. Even though Americans stopped wearing masks months ago, according to Walensky, following the guidelines during the pandemic is essential to ensure optimal safety.
“So we have been recommending masking, as I said, in areas with high COVID-19 community levels. And we have certainly always said that masking is a personal choice. You don’t need to wait for CDC’s recommendation to wear a mask. We recommend washing your hands. Stay home when you’re sick. Stay away from people who are sick. Take a COVID test if you have symptoms. Go present to your physician for other tests like RSV or influenza,” Walensky said.
“If you have symptoms, if you are feeling unwell, we will ask you to stay home. So we are saying we don’t really want people to gather if they’re feeling unwell,” she added.
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Go back to the basics
Reverting to the fundamentals, in Walensky’s opinion, should assist families in lowering their exposure to respiratory illnesses. In light of this, everyone needs to follow the fundamental guidelines put in place throughout the epidemic. She also commended the frontline staff for showing up to work despite the busy holiday and higher risk of contracting the illness.
“I think it’s really important to sort of go back to the basics of the things that we can do to protect ourselves. So the first thing is, what can you do in advance? And that is to get your COVID-19 vaccine, get your influenza vaccine and to do so now because you’ll be – if you get it now, you’ll be protected by the holidays. And we really want people to gather,” she explained.
“We’ll open the windows for people, increase ventilation if we can. And then, consider wearing a mask if there’s a large gathering. We also – you know, we’ll consider doing testing before we all gather,” she added.
“I want to make sure every family knows this. If you do get those symptoms, call your providers early because there are tests not just for COVID-19 but also for influenza. And if you are diagnosed early, we have antivirals that can be used to shorten your disease course and your disease severity.”
“My heart and respect and gratitude to all of our health care workers who are working hard through this season, not just for respiratory viruses in children but through – across the board.”
Opinions expressed by Texas Today contributors are their own.
