Usa. The U. S. government is already seeing an increase in new covid-19 cases and a slight increase in hospitalizations as winter approaches. It is now called a “triple epidemic. “
The other two viruses, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and influenza (influenza) are causing a sharp increase in pediatric hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses nationwide, Dr. Bruce Y. Lee reported for Forbes in October. It gets worse every week.
On November 2, 2022, it was reported that the first child to die of flu headaches was recorded in North Carolina. According to the Centers for Disease Control, this was the first flu-related death in a child since February 2020. In fact, influenza is not a new virus, and in previous years, before 2020, the U. S. The U. S. Department of Health reported between 20,000 and 60,000 annual deaths from flu headaches. infections, headaches, hospitalizations and deaths. In peak years, less than 50% of the population receives a flu vaccine, which is approved and recommended for all ages 6 months and older.
RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is also not new. Children have symptoms of blood loss, a more severe cough, or even shortness of breath. Babies most at risk may receive an RSV prophylaxis called palivizumab. It is not a vaccine, but an antibody treatment was presented. in limited numbers to express infant teams at increased risk of RSV-related hospitalization. As I reported for Forbes, the American Academy of Pediatrics expanded eligibility for palivizumab this year, as we’ve seen large increases in RSV infections in recent months than in previous years. With the expanded use of palivizumab, hospital beds are full of healthy, “low-risk” young people with headaches from RSV infections.
With almost all mitigation measures lifted, especially in schools, young people are contracting more Covid infections. Most are benign, but some are not, and young people end up in the hospital again. At the end of October 2022, there were 46 children under the age of five hospitalized in the United States with Covid-19. There were fewer than 25 of the children aged five to 17 hospitalized that same week. This is likely due to declining vaccination rates in young children, especially with the new BA. 4 and BA. five strains that are dominant. There has also been a sharp increase in the number of babies under 6 months hospitalized for Covid infections, as this organization is not yet eligible for Covid vaccination.
Large cities like Los Angeles are already experiencing an early surge in Covid-19 infections in the winter, which will undoubtedly result in a backlog of hospitalizations and deaths in the coming months. With incredibly low use of the new bivalent booster shot across the country, you may only face another harsh winter. Patients suffering from headaches due to Covid may not be the only ones filling the beds: pediatric beds are already full, first with RSV, now with influenza, and probably soon more adults and young people will be hospitalized. with Covid again. Masking recommendations enter the public debate about fitness. One more time. Resuming masking this winter may help mitigate the expected increase in all three infections.
Elementary school youth dressed in protective masks in the classroom.
We have influenza, RSV and Covid-19 infecting young people in the form of a 3-virus attack, called a tripdemic. None of those viruses are new, as the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been circulating for at least 3 years and RSV and influenza have been around for decades. Some claimed the country’s youth suffered from “immune debt” because their bodies had not been exposed to those viruses due to mitigation measures, adding early stay-at-home requirements, masks, tests and physical exams. distancing. However, there is no immune debt. The immune formula does not weaken, deteriorate or immature due to lack of viral loads. Yes, many viruses that children are exposed to allow them to expand short periods of antibody coverage, but most viruses that children and adults contract continue to return, without permanent infection coverage.
Now that almost all mitigation measures have been lifted, children, from newborns to young adults, are exposed to those 3 respiratory pathogens, as well as many other respiratory pathogens that cause severe colds or lung infections each year.
These 3 respiratory infections would possibly seem similar. According to Dr. Dean Blumberg, an infectious disease specialist at UC Davis, there are several differences to consider in those 3 diseases:
Unless it looks like a broken record, the tactics to lessen the threat of disease remain the same as in the past. Keeping up with Covid vaccines obviously reduces the chances of headaches from Covid infections. This includes the newest bivalent Covid booster vaccine. Everyone else over 6 months deserves to get an annual flu shot. This is especially important for pregnant women, as protection against the flu can be passed on to the newborn during the first six months of the baby’s life, before they are eligible. Vaccinate themselves. This transmitted protection also applies to Covid-19. Pregnant women vaccinated against Covid-19 transfer antibody protection to the fetus. This protection continues into the first few months of the baby’s life. With respect to protection against RSV, there is no vaccine for protection against RSV, although Pfizer recently published promising information about giving RSV vaccine to pregnant women, which will protect vulnerable newborns.
Pregnant woman receiving vaccination
Other media coverage continues to arrive with the contemplation of the mask in indoor environments this winter. Obviously, masks have been shown to decrease the threat of virus transmission, thereby reducing the threat of disease. Care professionals for keeping their mask on while caring for physically fit people, for not being physically fit, and for moving forward to care for physically fit people in this wave, beyond and into the future.
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