The ‘triple demic’ can steal Christmas. Here’s how to protect yourself from the flu, COVID and RSV.

estimates that COVID-19 cases are on the rise again, as are hospitalizations. Centers for Disease Control and PreventionMany states have not made it mandatory as we saw during the peak of the pandemic, but continue to recommend masking in public.

But coronavirus isn’t the only disease burdening hospitals, RSV and influenza are on the rise.

“Most of the population has, unfortunately, forgotten about COVID-19. As a result, the number of infected people and hospitalizations is rising, which worries me,” said University of Washington Health Measurements. Ali Mokhdad, professor of global health at the Institute for Evaluation, said. Politico“Right now, the flu, respiratory syncytial virus and COVID on the rise are exhausting our medical professionals.”

With the holidays approaching, it’s important to take precautions this winter.Here’s what we know about the virus spreading in the US

What are the prevalent COVID-19 variants in the United States?

The coronavirus is expected to go through a series of changes, said Dr. Dean Bloomberg, professor and chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of California, Davis Health. sacramento bee in January.

“Every time a virus is transmitted, the result is replication of the virus,” said Blumberg. “It’s a chance for new mutations to occur.”

BA.5 was reportedly the dominant strain during the summer, behind the majority of reported cases. CDCHowever, the new omicron mutations BQ.1.1 and BQ.1 now make up the majority. 70% of reported cases together.

the BQ.1 mutation is a sublineage of BA.5 and has a spike mutation. world health organizationOn the other hand, BQ.1.1 has an additional spike mutation.

of WHO stated that there is not enough evidence to prove that BQ.1 is more severe than other omicron variants, but it is clear that it has a transmission advantage over other mutations.

The main symptoms to look out for are sore throat, cough, fatigue, nasal congestion and runny nose. previously reported.

Does the vaccine work against Omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1?

The Food and Drug Administration approved a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine in August. press releaseThese updated vaccines target the original coronavirus strain and the Omicron mutation, specifically variants of the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages.

Based on available data, these new vaccines may be less protective, but still capable of protecting against severe infections. WHO.

In a recent study, I previously found deseret news.

What is RSV?

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common virus that usually peaks in winter and mimics the symptoms of the common cold. deseret news.

However, in young children and the elderly, RSV can cause bronchiolitis and pneumonia. There is no vaccine for it.

There is an immunity gap due to lack of exposure to this common virus and flu.

“What we are seeing this year is the result of two consecutive respiratory virus seasons with very low incidences of respiratory syncytial virus and influenza. Dr. Brandon Webb, Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases at Intermountain Healthcare, said: deseret news“So many people who were infected years ago or had partial immunity no longer have it.”

What you need to know about flu season

This year, it turned out that the flu is also burdening the hospital with more cases than usual.

“Not only is the flu in its early stages, it looks very serious,” said William Schaffner. The medical director of the nonprofit National Infectious Diseases Foundation and professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine said earlier in October, Washington Post.

Influenza “can be spread through respiratory droplets, aerosols, and contaminated surfaces,” he said. yale medicine.

It is highly recommended that you get the flu vaccination.

But most importantly, if you develop any symptoms, don’t gather with others, Murray said, adding: ”