A triple threat.
After years of isolation and masking, influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are all hitting harder this cold season in a phenomenon called the “triple disease.” increase.
Nearly 20,000 Americans were hospitalized with the flu during Thanksgiving week, the most that week in more than a decade. according to Washington Post analysis. Meanwhile, the number of COVID is gradually increasing.new york state Last month saw more than 141,000 casesand over the weekend, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Place 5 counties in New York State — The Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, Nassau, Suffolk — Located in the ‘Orange Zone’ where COVID risk is high and masks recommended indoors. According to Dr. Juanita Mora of the American Lung Association, her little-known but very common RSV is at its worst since 2012.
“Usually 100% of children [RSV] by age 2. But in the last two years, these kids, now 2 to her 4, have never seen RSV,” Mora told the Post. “So there are all-new little ones, and even bigger ones, that we have never seen before on RSV.”
Dr. David Hirschwerk, medical director of North Shore University Hospital in Manhassett and an infectious disease specialist at Northwell Health, told the Post that fewer precautions are simply leading to more cases. rice field.
“[Last year and 2020] A lot more people were wearing masks than they were this year,” he said. “And not so many people get the flu vaccine.”
Another cause is the cold. new research published A 9-degree Fahrenheit drop in temperature is enough to kill nearly half of the billions of virus- and bacteria-fighting cells in our nostrils, according to a paper published Tuesday in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. It turns out that
“You’ve essentially lost half your immunity by just a slight drop in body temperature,” says Dr. Benjamin Brier, a rhinologist and associate professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston. told CNN.
If you don’t feel well, getting tested is the best way to determine which disease you have. single swab test It can be performed for any of the three viruses in emergency care facilities or primary care clinics.there is home kit too.
While it’s technically possible to be infected with more than one “tripledemic” virus at once, Hirschwerk says it’s extremely rare. Each of the three viruses tends to last 5-7 days, so plan on a few days of Netflix binge and tea. Read on to learn more about each disease.
influenza
Common respiratory viruses mutate from year to year, usually raising painful heads during the winter months. Influenza can also lead to further respiratory illnesses such as bronchopneumonia and bronchitis.
It is most commonly manifested by cold-like symptoms and postnasal drip. It can also cause gastrointestinal problems, high fever, mucous cough, sore throat, and fatigue.
According to Hirschwerk, getting a flu shot is the best way to fight the virus. Prescription Tamiflu can be used for treatment in addition to albuterol inhalers.
COVID-19 (new coronavirus infectious disease)
COVID-19 is a respiratory virus that emerged in late 2019. It primarily affects the respiratory tract, but can also affect the heart. Long-term effects include myocarditis and cerebral thrombosis.
The main symptoms are difficulty breathing, dry cough, sore throat, tingling or soreness, fatigue, and loss of taste and smell.
As with the flu, it’s important to stay up-to-date on vaccines. The prescription drug Paxlovid can be used to treat Covid and may merit prescribed oral steroids in certain cases. Albuterol inhalers can also be used to treat more serious cases that do not require hospitalization.
To help prevent the spread, Mora also recommends doing a “mini-quarantine” a few days before you see your loved ones this holiday season and keeping yourself low from crowded places.
respiratory syncytial virus
In healthy adults, respiratory syncytial virus can be as troublesome as a mild cold, but it can be very serious in very young children and the elderly. can also cause
It initially causes cold-like symptoms, but when it reaches the lungs it is most severe in young children. Warning signs include a dry cough, high fever, difficulty breathing, dehydration, runny nose, wheezing and shortness of breath.
Other than Synagis, a special vaccine specifically for immunocompromised patients, there are no current vaccines against RSV. Pfizer is awaiting FDA approval to administer it to mothers in their third trimester, Mora said.
Basic hygiene measures at home and school are the best prevention.
Symptomatic treatments such as taking Motrin or Tylenol, hydration, etc. can be used to recover from RSV, and oral steroids can be prescribed if needed. Severe cases of wheezing and dry cough may also warrant an inhaler prescribed albuterol.
