Dec. 12, 2023 — It's not necessarily an indication that one other tripledemic is looming, but post-Thanksgiving COVID-19 and influenza rates proceed to rise nationwide, the newest federal statistics show.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases have leveled off at higher levels, while hospitalizations as a consequence of severe cases of COVID increased nearly 18%, reaching 22,513 admissions within the week after Thanksgiving, in line with the CDC Data shows. Emergency room visits, positive test rates and weekly COVID-related deaths also increased.
“There is increased RSV activity in the United States, particularly in young children,” the CDC warned in its latest issue weekly update. “COVID-19 activity has continued to increase, particularly in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Influenza activity continues to increase in most parts of the country, with the southeast and south-central areas of the country experiencing the highest levels of activity.”
It's not unusual for respiratory illnesses to extend around the vacations when people travel and gather as colder weather results in spending more time indoors. In yearly of the pandemic, COVID hospitalizations have increased by 1000's within the weeks after Thanksgiving.
Weekly flu hospitalizations reached 5,700 within the seven days ended Dec. 2, up from about 3,300 two weeks earlier. RSV cases reported to the CDC remain at roughly 10,000 Third week in a rowalthough that's lower than half the cases seen during a record-breaking peak in November last yr.
“This is really what we expected,” said Dr. Marcus Plescia, MPH, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials The Washington Post. “We don’t see or hear reports of hospital capacity issues like we did last year, but we don’t feel like we’re out of the woods yet.”
But health authorities are concerned about low vaccination rates and are urging people to get vaccinated to forestall serious illness fairly than risk having to go to the emergency room or be hospitalized. The CDC recommends that individuals 6 months and older get vaccinated against flu and COVID now to offer antibodies time to accumulate before the vacation festivities. RSV vaccines are also available for some infants and young children and for the elderly.
A federal program offers Free at-home COVID tests Delivered by mail to an individual's home to have available if symptoms occur. Another latest federal program called Test to Treat offers at-home COVID and flu testing, in addition to free telemedicine visits and treatment for individuals who test positive. The Test-to-Treat Program is open to individuals who're uninsured, served by the Indian Health Service, and people using insurance through Medicare, Medicaid, or Veterans Affairs.