December 8, 2022

Tripledemic

It’s been a while since I’ve written. I’ve been distracted by life, including a long road trip to the Southwest were we used to live. So much fun! I have been thinking about this newsletter, wanting to get back to it more regularly, as things continue to evolve and other epidemics show their faces.

We’ve had a brief interlude of less deaths and hospitalizations from COVID over the past few months, a bit of breathing space, even though many people were infected for the first time.

The “Tripledemic” is upon us, just as our holiday season arrives. Influenza (Flu) is back with a vengeance, as is RSV, or Respiratory Syncytial Virus. Omicron’s variants are increasing again. Both RSV and Flu had mild outbreaks the past two years because of COVID-19 precautions. All three infections threaten to overwhelm hospitals again.

Young children are particularly susceptible to RSV, dangerously so because of their small airways. Children’s hospitals and ER’s are filling up with all 3 infections. Already in Washington state, 13 people have died from the flu. including 2 children.

Vaccines are a tool we can use if available. Vaccines for influenza are not perfect but help cut down on symptoms and improve recovery. A new Bivalent COVID vaccine was just approved by the FDA today for children as young as 6 months. There is no vaccine yet for RSV.

These are good reminders to continue masking up in public places or restart if you slacked off, until this wave of Tripledemic infections passes. I felt lucky that I was wearing a mask when I helped out in clinic last week. Two of the patients I saw were sick- both with positive Influenza tests. Their masks and mine protected me.

After our autumn break, COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising again, along with deaths. Older people are more likely to be dying, even those who were immunized earlier. The biggest issue is that only about 35% of seniors have gotten the bivalent booster so they are more vulnerable now. Remind your loved ones to get the booster.

And don’t forget Paxlovid if you are at risk, if you catch COVID. It really helps. It can help prevent Long COVID as well.

That leaves us again with our layered, Swiss cheese approach that has worked so well: boosters, masking, hand washing, ventilation, and treatments like Paxlovid if the virus gets through.

The news is not all bad though. The threat of Monkeypox is receding and the news came yesterday that no Murder Hornets (remember them?) were found in Washington State this year. Good news, indeed.

Wash your hands, cover your nose, get the Bivalent, remember Paxlovid, and stay sensible!

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tripledemic-flu-rsv-covid-19-strains-hospitals-worries-doctors-cases-spike/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/flu-activity-very-high-in-washington-13-deaths-reported-statewide/ar-AA14YQTn

https://www.q13fox.com/news/flu-hospitalizations-deaths-in-washington-state-flu-cases-expected-to-rise

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/02/health/flu-respiratory-viruses-hospitalization-increase

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/pfizer-study-says-updated-covid-boosters-rev-up-protection/

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-updated-bivalent-covid-19-vaccines-children-down-6-months

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/07/briefing/covid-treatment-paxlovid.html

https://www.popsci.com/health/flu-covid-19-rsv-masks/

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/face-masks-may-return-amid-holiday-tripledemic-of-covid-flu-and-rsv/

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/covid-hospitalizations-rise-post-thanksgiving-after-autumn-lull/

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/seniors-deserve-all-the-protection-available-in-fight-against-covid/

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/covid-deaths-skew-older-reviving-questions-about-acceptable-loss/

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/no-murder-hornets-found-in-2022-in-washington-state/