Vaccinations, common sense urged to combat winter flu, respiratory illnesses – Santa Ynez Valley News

Influenza, COVID-19 and RSV infections have gained traction this month, nationally, statewide and in Santa Barbara County, according to county Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg.

It is not too late to get the updated COVID and flu shots (for six months and older)," said Ansorg. "RSV vaccine is available for persons 60 and over as well as for infants 18 months and younger as well as for pregnant women during last trimester.

The COVID JN.1 variant was first detected in the U.S. in September, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is now the most common variant.

Dr. Charles R. Merrill, chief medical officer for Marian Regional Medical Center, said as the population adjusts to an existing variant, the virus mutates and becomes a little different. When a virus mutates, it infects an individual more easily but is less deadly.

If you are a virus and you want to survive then you want to be able to infect more people. If you kill your host, then you die too. So from a biologic standpoint it wants to be more infectious and less dangerous, Merrill said.

Government data posted between Christmas and New Year's showed 38 states with high or very high levels for respiratory illnesses with fever, cough and other symptoms, up from 31 states the week before.

The numbers include people with COVID-19, RSV and other winter viruses, in addition to flu, but flu seems to be increasing most dramatically, according to the CDC.

We expect it (numbers) to be elevated for several more weeks, said CDC's Alicia Budd. So far, though, she said, this is a moderate flu season.

Interpreting flu reports during and after the holidays can be tricky, Budd said. Schools are closed. More people are traveling. Some people may be less likely to see a doctor and others may be more likely.

As with previous winters, the hospital is observing a rise in cases of the viruses in January, said Merrill, but the cases aren't as severe as they were during the pandemic.

We do know that we have fewer than we had last year, much fewer than when the pandemic was going and I can tell you, the virus itself is not as severe, meaning the patients don't do as poorly, said Merrill, who specializes in emergency medicine. "So typically they come in and have a cough or cold, maybe some respiratory difficulties, but we're not seeing people coming in and dying from it like we did during the pandemic.

The flu season generally peaks between December and February, and CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said she expects it to peak by the end of January this year.

Officials said this season's flu shots are well-matched to the strain that is the most active this year.

CDC data indicates coronavirus-caused hospitalizations haven't hit the same levels they did at the same point during the last three winters. However, COVID-19 is putting more people in the hospital than flu, CDC data shows.

Lauren Ancel Meyers of the University of Texas, said the nation is seeing a second rise in COVID-19 after a smaller peak in September.

"There is a lot of uncertainty about when and how high this current surge will peak, said Meyers, who runs a team that forecasts COVID-19, flu and RSV trends.

Merrill said Marian Regional Medical Center is seeing suprisingly few people getting vaccinated for COVID-19, but said the vaccine is still recommended.

If you've been sick with COVID in the last couple of months we don't recommend it because your own antibodies will build up and youll have protection that way, but a lot of people are not getting vaccinated, said Merrill. Same is true for influenza. It has a very effective vaccine and so we would like to increase vaccination rates. There is no reason to be afraid of vaccines.

Ansorg said wearing a well-fitted mask in public indoor settings especially persons with chronic health conditions, over age 60 and with weakened immune systems is recommended.

If you are sick, stay home, Ansorg said.

The symptoms forrhinovirus and adenovirus, commonly seen during winter, COVID-19 and RSV are similar, including cough, runny nose, fever, chills and body aches.

"It's very difficult to distinguish among them clinically by those symptoms because they are all similar, said Merrill. COVID-19 has a treatment specific to it as well as influenza A, but there is no specific treatment for RSVP.

If someone is diagnosed with RSV, Merrill said "we give them oxygen if they need it. We treat some of the lung symptoms with bronchodilator, like you would treat an asthmatic person. We isolate them from other people so they don't spread it.

Merrill said that in his opinion, the number of COVID cases is under-represented because some people get a cold and a cough, but don't test themselves.

That could've been COVID, but you will never know and so that doesn't go down as a COVID case, he said.

In addition to vaccinations, use common sense to avoid getting sick, Merrill said.

Like if you get on an airplane without a mask with a whole lot of people in a closed space, you are more likely to get a virus infection, he said.

If you are in a room with poor ventilation, and a lot of people are in there and people are coughing and sneezing and you're not wearing a mask that increases your risk, said Merrill. So being away from people is prophylactic and preventive, hand washing is very helpful, and wearing a mask when youre in high risk or situations are the best ways to avoid it.

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Vaccinations, common sense urged to combat winter flu, respiratory illnesses - Santa Ynez Valley News