PEORIA, Ill. — This year’s so-called ‘trifecta’ of winter illnesses has doctors concerned, especially as the holiday season begins.
Local Infectious Diseases Specialist Dr. Doug Kasper, with the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria, says there’s an assumption that RSV, Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 rates go up in unison. But, that’s not what’s really happening.
“They actually go up individually, and potentially even as one rate is climbing, it actually helps keep down the rate of the other two infections,” Kasper says.
RSV seems to have actually plateaued, though it remains at a high rate. But, for the second week in a row, hospitalizations have decreased, and Influenza is increasing, Kasper says.
Heading into the holidays, COVID-19 numbers remain at relatively low levels across much of Illinois, Kasper tells WMBD’s “The Greg and Dan Show”.
In Peoria, hospitals are asking people to limit their visits to help curb the spread of RSV, Influenza and COVID.
The flu season has come a bit earlier this year, with infection rates higher than we typically see.
Doe that mean Influenza will ‘explode’ as we start spending more time together indoors this winter? Kasper says not necessarily.
“Well, the good news is that the strains of flu that are circulating, do match up to the strains that are included in the vaccine that’s available,” Kasper says.
The flu vaccine usually has four strains of Influenza, that are piced from the previous year’s data.
If you do come down with the flu, Kasper says, there are immediate responses that make it less likely for you to get a secondary infection.
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