As you decorate the halls and travel far this holiday season, take precautions to protect yourself from quartets. infectious disease It can reduce the possibility of bringing diseases into the new year.
influenza, COVID, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)and norovirus As we winter tour around the country, you may have heard the term “quademic” thrown around online or in conversation (the first three are sometimes referred to as “triple demic”). . The unofficial term for parallel epidemics of four diseases evokes a sense of impending doom, but the quadruple threat is not that different from past respiratory virus seasons.
“All the viruses are here, they just impact different areas a little differently.” Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr.medical director of National Foundation for Infectious Diseases say luck. “I don’t want to panic people, but I would say that anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated and is eligible for the vaccine, which means everyone over six months of age, should get vaccinated. coronavirus shot,got it influenza vaccination”
respiratory syncytial virus vaccine The program is also available to adults ages 75 and older, adults ages 60 to 74 with certain chronic conditions, and expectant parents in their third trimester, Hopkins emphasized. “We have the tools, so we just use them.”
Dr. William Schaffnerprofessor of. Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Centerrefers to the respiratory virus at this time vaccination season. Staying up-to-date on vaccinations is the best holiday present you can give yourself and your loved ones, he says.
“Benjamin Franklin was right when he said, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,'” Schaffner said. luck. “This year, let’s do what we can to prevent the disease from becoming serious.” under-I am vaccinated. ”
But how can you protect yourself from norovirus, also known as ‘winter vomiting disease’, for which there is no vaccine? Hand hygiene is paramount here.
“Use plenty of soap and water,” Schaffner says, noting that alcohol-based hand sanitizers alone won’t kill norovirus. “It’s highly contagious, probably in the environment, in your fingers, and if you touch your nose or mouth, infection happens.”
Hopkins emphasizes that the same public health measures you adopted in the early days of COVID-19 can also help prevent disease.
“It’s important to cover your cough, ideally with your sleeve or handkerchief rather than your hands,” says Hopkins. “Stay away from sick people. please stay home if you are sickAsk your health care professional if it is necessary. take a test and about Symptomatic treatment.
“The important thing is that stay activeespecially outdoor activities. Stay healthy forever your meal and your water intake. And depending on your health, you might want to be really careful about going to crowds. breeding ground This is because those viruses spread from person to person. ”
A call center agent who is sick and unwell with the coronavirus is blowing his nose and spreading germs in his office space. African customer service and support agent suffering from cold or flu symptoms at work
Influenza activity increases in most US states
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), of which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a part, often divides the country into: 10 regions When mapping diseases. During the week ending December 7, influenza-like illness activity increased nationwide, but levels were normal in Region 8 (Colorado, Dakota, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming).
“The last six weeks have seen a steady rise in influenza, and the number of hospitalizations due to influenza continues to increase week by week,” Schaffner said. “Not just in my neck of the woods, but across the country. ”.
Nationwide, Influenza A (H3) strain According to CDC records, multiple infections occurred during the three-week period ending December 7th.
a A “very unfortunate” segment of the population Hopkins said she is getting a flu shot this year. According to the CDC, 40.8% of adults and 40.8% of children were fully vaccinated as of the week ending Dec. 7. At that point last year, 40.6% of adults and 44.2% of children had been vaccinated. If you missed the unofficial “pre-Halloween vaccination” deadline to get a flu shot, there’s no need to worry, Hopkins says.
“It’s never too late,” Hopkins said. “Right now is not a bad time with the risks in front of us, and I certainly would like to see people vaccinated sooner, but I’m not going to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. ”
Most adults have not received the latest coronavirus vaccine
I can’t believe we’re so close 5th anniversary of SARS-CoV-2 outbreakthe virus that causes the new coronavirus is making its way to the United States. The new coronavirus is currently spreadingit remains highly contagious disease whose long term effects It is expanding. People who have not been vaccinated are at increased risk of: severe infectionthanks in part to hospitalizations, deaths, and lingering coronavirus fatigue. New vaccines in 2024-25 It wasn’t ideal.
1 in 5 adults (21%) The CDC estimates that most people had received the most up-to-date jab as of the week ending Dec. 7. Still, the uptake rate was slightly higher than the same period last year for the 2023-24 vaccine (16.9%). Only 10.6% of children were vaccinated, the same level as last year’s 10.2%. The CDC recommends vaccination for everyone 6 months of age and older. This season’s variations— even if you have had the coronavirus or received an older version of the vaccine. If you have weakened immune systemask your doctor about your eligibility for additional booster doses.
of New coronavirus infections increase rapidly in summer It might be in the rearview mirror.case positive After peaking at 17.8% in the week ending Aug. 10, the national positivity rate has begun to inch back up in recent weeks. The rate for the week ending December 7 was 5.4%, up from 4.2% three weeks earlier. Throughout the four weeks until December 7thtest positivity rates were highest in Region 8 (6%) and Region 6 (5.2%), which include Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
meanwhile New coronavirus rapid test Now widely available in stores and online. It’s not too late to order 4 free tests for your home. COVIDtests.gov.
Check out this interactive chart on Fortune.com
Fewer than half of adults aged 75 and older have ever received an RSV injection
Unlike the annual coronavirus and flu shots, the new RSV vaccine, at least for now, is one shot and you’re done. First FDA-approved RSV vaccine, AleksviManufactured by a Fortune 500 European company GSKwill not be available until mid-2023, and the rollout of the three currently available vaccines has been slow.
“[RSV] Although it can be very dangerous, people do not recognize it as a virus as such. ” Dr. Sujata Ambardarinfectious disease specialist. Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia. said before luck. “They think of coronavirus, influenza, and other viruses.”
As of the week ending December 7, less than half (42.5%) of adults aged 75 and older had been vaccinated, compared to one-third (33%) of adults aged 60 to 74. ) was. CDC record show.
The test positivity rate for the week ending December 7 was 7.6%, down from 12% during the same period last year. The rate was at least 11% across much of the eastern and south-central United States, and even as far west as New Mexico. Region 3 (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) had the highest test positivity rate (16.4%).
The spread of norovirus in the US has not reached epidemic levels in the UK.
Norovirus infections are mainly caused by It has been increasing since early autumn.. The test positivity rate was at a season high (18.4%) for the week ending December 7th, compared to 6% for the week ending September 7th.
Norovirus is being tracked census region Not the HHS one. For the week ending Dec. 7, Region 4, which covers the West from Colorado to California to Hawaii, had the highest test positivity rate (21%).
“There is all the rage in the UK In the UK at the moment, they are very concerned about that,” Schaffner said. “There have been scattered reports of norovirus, but nothing major. We expect to see more infections of norovirus, but we haven’t seen an increase like norovirus yet.”
Schaffner added, “Holiday travel has already started and will continue to increase. There will be a lot of holiday parties, family gatherings, etc. All four of these viruses are transmitted from person to person. It’s the perfect situation to get infected.”
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This story was originally Fortune.com
