RSV, flu and COVID cases on the rise in San Diego, but less people are getting vaccinated: county data – NBC San Diego

Tis the season for making holiday plans and trying to avoid getting sick, but the increase of respiratory illnesses leading into the busy December season could make it difficult.

"Everyone is forgetting that COVID and flu and RSV are circulating, Dr. Abisola Olulade M.D., the Chief Impact Officer at Sharp Rees-Stealy, told NBC 7. We want it to go back to normal, but we are still in a time when all of these viruses are circulating, they can still cause issues.

According to the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agencys respiratory virus surveillance report released on Dec. 14, there have been 26,448 cases of COVID-19, 3,973 cases of the flu and 2,327 cases of respiratory syncytial virus or RSV reported since Jul. 2 of this year.

The data suggests that cases of all three seem to be trending upward in recent weeks, but overall there are fewer cases when compared to recent years.

When we look at the number of cases, thats down compared to the year prior, significantly down, Olulade said. But, the important thing to remember is that those are an undercount, much more of an undercount, because most people that are testing for COVID are testing at home.

Olulade explained that the month-over-month uptick is not a surprise, considering that it is both winter and in between major holidays when people are more likely to travel and get together. So, it is not a time to let your guard down.

What were seeing from the CDC is that theyre predicting that this actually may be a slowdown before a ramp-up, and thats what we actually tend to see, Olulade said.

The data also shows fewer people seem to be getting their COVID vaccines or flu shots. One of the most vulnerable groups, those who are 65 years old or older, has less than 30% of people up-to-date on COVID vaccines and 53.4% of people who have gotten a flu shot.

Its important that we stay up-to-date on vaccinations, Olulade said. When we see people that end up in the hospital, in many cases, theyre not up-to-date on their shots.

She added that while they do not necessarily prevent you from getting sick, they do prevent serious illness and, as a result, possibly long COVID.

Its never too late to get the shot, always get it and always update it because you will get some protection, she said. Typically, you want to do it at least two weeks before the holidays or travel or gathering with people, but we would still expect that you get some protection overall.

Protection that, Olulade said, is going to be critical as we head into the next few weeks of festivities.

Were seeing a lot of people utilize our virtual urgent cares, so mild illnesses in most cases, but that can still cause a bottleneck in the healthcare system, she said.

Some of Olulades tips include having COVID tests on hand, because it is easier for medical professionals to treat you if they know what you do or dont have. She also suggested taking extra precautions in the week leading up to travel, by masking and washing your hands, to avoid getting sick pre-trip then becoming symptomatic when you reach your destination.

Every home in the U.S. is eligible to receive free at-home COVID tests through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Learn more about how to get yours here.

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RSV, flu and COVID cases on the rise in San Diego, but less people are getting vaccinated: county data - NBC San Diego