It may be February, and whether or not the Groundhog predicted an early spring, warmer weather is just around the corner, and most importantly, the respiratory trifecta of RSV, Flu and Covid that wreaked havoc on families over the winter is coming to an end .
In this latest update on respiratory viruses, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that declines in hospitalizations associated with RSV, Influenza and Covid show that the respiratory virus season is likely past its peak. A peak combined saw fewer hospitalizations with Covid, Flu and RSV than last year.
“As we saw last season, Covid, flu, and RSV account for a large proportion of hospitalizations for respiratory viruses during the fall and winter. This season, influenza and RSV illnesses began to increase later in the fall, which is more like what we typically see before the pandemic,” the organization said in a statement.
The CDC emphasizes that despite the decrease in hospitalizations, respiratory disease activity remains high, and some indicators of flu activity have increased again. While we may be out of the woods, the respiratory virus season is not over, and “it’s not time to let our guard down.”
Although we are past the January cut-off where pregnant women and infants younger than 8 months are recommended to be vaccinated against RSV, the CDC is still encouraging those who have not yet received their Covid vaccine or flu vaccination. “At this point in the season, vaccinations for Covid and flu are slightly lower than last season, which means many people are missing out on this layer of protection against the worst outcomes of these diseases,” the CDC said.
Here’s to healthier days ahead!
