First it was COVID-19. Then came monkeypox. Now flu season is upon us, to say nothing of the RSV virus affecting so many kids.
Even if you manage to avoid the viruses swirling throughout our community, the nonstop worry they generate is enough to make a person sick. But just how concerned should we be about each of these current health threats?
To wrap our heads around it all, we visited recently with St. Tammany Health System infectious disease expert Dr. Mike Hill. Here’s what he had to tell us:
So where are we with these three viruses?
In a nutshell, it looks like monkeypox is on the decline. COVID has been declining but there’s always a chance for a resurgence in coming months. Then there’s RSV, which is on the rise now that kids are back in school, and influenza, which is the one that, at the moment, could cause the most problems.
Why is that?
Well, it’s flu season, which is always a concern. For the past two years, when everyone was isolating during the COVID pandemic, we’ve seen light flu seasons. But early indicators suggest this year could be more serious.
Most concerning is that flu has already returned with a vengeance in the Southern Hemisphere, where flu season arrives a few months earlier than here. The concern is that if it follows the same pattern for us, the “twindemic” of flu and COVID could strain the nation’s hospitals.
So what can I do to protect myself?
Get your flu shot. That’s especially true for those at high risk, which includes young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions. But, really, everyone is at risk for flu, and this year’s updated flu vaccine is your best protection.
That being said, the same precautions we’ve been hammering since the start of the COVID outbreak holds true here: Wash your hands, cover your coughs and sneezes, stay at home if you’re feeling sick. It would also be smart to mask in public, particularly if attending crowded indoor gatherings.
Speaking of COVID, where are we with that?
The big headline here is the new bivalent booster, which just came out in late August and has been designed specifically to fight off the highly infectious omicron strain of COVID and its subvariants. The CDC is recommending all fully vaccinated people 12 and up get the new booster, and particularly those who are 50 and older.
How about RSV? That’s mostly affecting children, right?
Well, older adults are susceptible, too, and now that kids are back in school, it’s spreading quickly. It’s a seasonal virus, and we’re definitely seeing an uptick in our community. Again, the best defense is good hand hygiene, covering your sneezes – you know the drill.
What about monkeypox?
As I mentioned, this one, which was declared a U.S. public health emergency in August, looks like it’s fading. That being said, Southeast Louisiana is the state’s hotspot, so if you’re in a high-risk group, you should remain vigilant. Right now, this is primarily a male disease that is highest among men who have sex with men, but, just like with HIV, which started in the gay population, it can cross over into the heterosexual population.
The same advice concerning COVID and flu is the same for monkeypox: Get vaccinated, especially if you think you might be at risk.