As the flu season approaches, health officials are becoming increasingly concerned about a potential triple epidemic of illnesses, including COVID-19 and RSV. Emergency rooms across the country are preparing for this possibility as cases of these illnesses continue to rise.
From October until last week, the Centers for Disease Control estimate that there were at least 780,000 flu illnesses and almost 500 deaths. Dr. Brownstein, a physician who specializes in infectious diseases, shared that certain age groups and individuals with prior medical conditions are more susceptible to severe cases and even death from these three illnesses.
While flu hospitalizations have been lower than this time last year, trends in the southern states are similar to last year’s spikes. This suggests that the pandemic may be exacerbating existing health disparities and making certain populations more vulnerable to illness.
It is important for individuals to take steps to protect themselves from getting sick, such as wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and washing their hands regularly. Healthcare providers are also urging people to get vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19 to reduce the risk of severe illness or death.