At this time of year, it seems like everyone is getting sick – your family, your friends, your coworkers. Even your dog.
Outbreaks This Winter
In recent years, COVID-19 has likely been the culprit behind runny noses, coughs, and sore throats. However, health experts say that this season there is competition between the coronavirus, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other cold viruses.
“You can pick any virus this year,” said Dr. Steve Fore, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. “It varies from time to time and from region to region in the country.”
Vaccinations and Prevention
Health officials are concerned about rising infection rates and increased hospitalizations. In this regard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory on December 14 to healthcare providers stating that low vaccination rates against influenza, COVID-19, and RSV “could lead to an increase in severe illness and increased strain on healthcare in the coming weeks.”
Experts say the best way to prevent severe illness is to get vaccinated. If you haven’t received your shot yet, there is still time. COVID-19: When can you return to normal life?
Health experts say that the coronavirus still accounts for most respiratory illness hospitalizations.
Hospitalizations increased by more than 10% in the week ending December 16 compared to the previous week, and emergency room visits increased by more than 6%, according to the CDC. Deaths increased by more than 3%.
The low vaccination rate may partly explain the rise in severe illness and hospitalizations. Only about 18% of Americans have received the updated vaccine that became available in September. In long-term healthcare facilities, about one-third of residents are updated with COVID-19 vaccinations.
The CDC still recommends wearing masks and following isolation and quarantine guidelines for infected individuals. People should isolate from others if they carry the virus or if they have symptoms without a positive test, according to the health agency.
If you do not have symptoms but receive a positive test:
- Stay home for at least five days and isolate yourself from others in your household.
- Day 0 is the day you were tested (not the day you received the positive result).
- Day 1 is the first full day after the day you were tested.
- If you develop symptoms within 10 days of testing, the count restarts from zero on the day you began to feel symptoms.
If you have symptoms but do not have a positive test:
- Day 0 of isolation is the day symptoms began, regardless of when the positive test was taken.
- Day 1 is the first full day after symptoms began.
You can end isolation once you have a negative test.
Symptoms of the New COVID Virus
The latest COVID-19 strain gaining momentum in the country is JN.1.
First discovered in September, it accounted for over 44% of cases in the United States in the week ending December 23, according to CDC data.
The dominant strain is most prevalent in the Northeast, including New Jersey and New York, where it comprises nearly 57% of cases. In the West, it accounts for about 41% and about 39% of cases in the Mid-Atlantic.
So far, JN.1 does not appear to cause unusual COVID-19 symptoms aside from fever, chills, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion or runny nose, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, difficulty breathing, mental fog, and loss of taste or smell.
Can
that it spreads easily or is better at evading our immune system, and health experts say there is no evidence that the strain causes more severe illness than other recent strains. Evidence indicates that vaccines and antiviral medications work against it.
Flu: How can I tell if I have the flu or COVID?
Half of the states in the U.S. – especially those in the South – reported high or very high flu activity through the week ending December 16, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The percentage of positive laboratory tests for the flu rose to 12% of all tests conducted, compared to 10% the previous week. Since October 1, over 949,800 tests have been processed in laboratories, with more than 52,800 positive for the flu.
It can be hard to distinguish between flu symptoms and COVID symptoms. Both viruses cause fever, cough, muscle aches, and fatigue. Fortunately, healthcare providers are conducting tests for both viruses in hospitals to determine the best course of treatment with antivirals.
In February, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first at-home test that can detect and differentiate between the flu and COVID-19. The Lucira COVID-19 & Flu Test is a one-time use test that can be purchased over the counter and shows results in 30 minutes or less for flu A, flu B, and COVID-19.
Faux said fatigue from vaccinations has led to a decrease in the number of Americans getting the flu vaccine compared to last year. About 42% of adults in the U.S. had received the vaccine by the first week of December, compared to about 45% at the same time last year, according to the CDC.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus: What are the early signs of RSV?
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a virus that infects the lungs and airways, including the nose and throat. Health experts say it is a common infection most children are exposed to by age two but can cause severe illness in infants and the elderly.
The CDC states that RSV symptoms typically appear within four to six days after infection and may include:
- Runny nose.
- Cough.
- Sneezing.
- Fever.
- Wheezing.
Health experts say symptoms typically resolve on their own within two weeks. Concerning RSV symptoms that may require emergency medical care include difficulty breathing, high fever, a bluish color to the skin, and worsening cough, according to the American Lung Association.
In infants under 6 months, the only noticeable symptoms may be increased irritability or lethargy, decreased appetite, or difficulty breathing. Health experts say infants are prone to RSV-related complications due to their immature immune systems and small airways.
As of December 16, the percentage of positive RSV tests in the U.S. was about 12%, according to the CDC, compared to 3.6% at the beginning of October. TruVita Healthcare and Data Analysis states that the highest rate of hospital admissions occurs in infants aged 0 to 6 months – making up nearly 25% of admissions in November.
Until recently, there were no drug interventions that could help prevent RSV infection. However, the FDA approved several doses that became available in September for the elderly, late-pregnant women, and infants.
As of December 9, only 17% of adults over 60 had received the new doses against RSV, and about 7% of eligible pregnant women, according to the CDC.
Faux said
Four: “People are stressed because of all the vaccinations. The response has not been as good as we would like.”
The shortage of RSV doses for infants forced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to scale back guidelines in October to recommend doses for younger patients at higher risk of severe illness. The Biden administration met with drug manufacturers to increase supplies by an additional 230,000 doses in January, according to a statement from the White House.
What’s next? Common colds, sore throat
Viruses can cause a sore throat, but bacteria can cause bacterial throat infections.
Infections from Group A Streptococcus bacteria can occur at any time of the year, but they are more common in winter and spring. Illness typically occurs more in children than in adults, especially those ages 5 to 15, as it spreads in schools and childcare centers, according to the CDC.
The CDC does not track non-invasive cases of sore throat, but Epic Research, which looks at electronic health records nationwide, says physician and emergency department visits for sore throat have steadily increased since August.
The limited available data indicate that there are more sore throat activities in schools. Dr. Phil Huang, director of the Dallas County Health Department in Texas, said, “We see this at the same times that we see an increase in respiratory viruses.”
It takes two to five days for someone exposed to streptococcal bacteria to show symptoms of illness, according to the CDC, which can include fever, pain when swallowing, red and swollen tonsils, white or yellow spots on the tonsils, red spots on the roof of the mouth, and swollen lymph nodes. Unlike respiratory viruses, bacterial sore throat usually does not cause cough or runny nose.
A simple throat test in a doctor’s office can provide clear results. If the result is positive, healthcare providers will prescribe antibiotics that will reduce symptoms and duration of the illness, prevent bacteria from spreading to others, and avoid serious complications.
Health experts say common cold viruses are also thriving this year. Cold symptoms last for seven to ten days and are most contagious in the first four to five days, according to health experts. These viruses typically do not lead to hospitalization, but some symptoms can persist for several weeks.
These classic symptoms of respiratory illnesses include runny or stuffy nose, cough, sore throat, mild headache, and sneezing.
Unlike bacterial infections, such as sore throat, antibiotics do not affect respiratory viruses, which means the best thing you can do is drink plenty of fluids and rest until the virus runs its course.
Contributors: Mike Snyder, USA TODAY; Associated Press
Send tips to Adriana Rodriguez: adrodriguez@usatoday.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID, flu, RSV, cold, sore throat: What is everyone catching this winter?
Source: https://www.aol.com/americans-catching-winter-not-just-110334812.html
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