This time of year is the time when families and friends gather to share holiday cheer and some epidemic germs.
Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco, said people should pay attention to the “big four.” That means three respiratory viruses currently moving in the United States: influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and one gastric virus. Norovirus.
According to WastewaterScan, an infectious disease surveillance network led by researchers at Stanford University and Emory University and in collaboration with clinical testing partner Verily, Alphabet’s life sciences organization, these four viruses are rampant across the United States. It is said that there is.
In the case of COVID-19, half of the eastern United States (excluding Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico) is on a “high” trend, but western states are still on a low overall trend. There are several hotspots in major cities such as San Francisco. Seattle, Salt Lake and Boise, according to WastewaterScan.
But the situation is likely to change as holiday travel moves the virus, which Ching-Hong called the “Great Holiday Equalizer.”
But it’s influenza that is currently getting the attention of most doctors and researchers, he said.
Although the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s outlook for the severity of this flu season’s impact is low, Chin-Hong said he sees ominous signs coming from the United Kingdom and South America, which are typical lead nations for the United States. Ta.
In the UK, the number of influenza cases in early December was nearly four times higher than at the same time last year. South American countries such as Chile, Ecuador and Uruguay saw similar trends during the winter, with hospitalizations higher than in the 2023 flu season. In other parts of the southern continent, the incidence of seasonal influenza was fairly typical.
Chin-Hong said he suspects the CDC’s outlook is based on the assumption that people have some “carry-over immunity” from last year, and that vaccination will help.
But until flu season is in full swing, it’s difficult to know exactly what it will be like and whether vaccines will fully cover the strains that are circulating.
Chin-Hong said there are two main strains of the virus circulating, H1N1 and H3N2, with the latter being associated with more severe disease and likely causing a surge in hospitalizations overseas. He said there is. But he said this year’s vaccines should cover that.
He noted that flu season has just begun in the United States and said it’s “never too late” to get vaccinated.
Additionally, the ominous threat of H5N1 avian influenza smolders in the background, raising concerns about its potential to mix with seasonal influenza in humans. Preventing seasonal influenza by getting vaccinated will reduce the chance of that happening, he said.
Researchers and health officials say there is no evidence that H5N1 is transmissible in humans. But to be even safer as the virus passes through domestic dairy herds and commercial poultry operations, people should avoid raw milk, raw eggs, and undercooked meat. Pasteurization and proper cooking techniques inactivate the virus.
But it’s not just the flu that threatens to derail the country’s good news.
New coronavirus infection (COVID-19), respiratory syncytial virus, and norovirus are also prevalent.
Recently, high levels of COVID-19 have begun to be detected in urban wastewater, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a spike in hospitalizations, Chin-Hong said. In fact, although the number of coronavirus cases is on the rise, the CDC predicts that the number of cases in the United States will be lower this year than in 2023.
“The reason we haven’t had as many cases this year is because it was so recent, especially in California, that some people think that carryover immunity may be protecting us, at least for the time being.” he says. Said. “Another hypothesis is that there were probably fewer of them this year because there was enough cycling within the population.”
But he said the coronavirus itself has proven to be a nimble and adaptable virus, continually producing recombinant variants, and that “coupled with low vaccination rates could lead to another surge in infections.” “There is always a concern with the new coronavirus that this could happen.”
He said the best thing you can do to avoid the three respiratory viruses – influenza, coronavirus and respiratory syncytial virus – is to follow “the three Vs: vaccination, ventilation and frequent hand washing.” Masks certainly make a difference if you have to stay indoors or be close to others. However, try to gather and frolic outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
Norovirus can cause gastrointestinal problems and is usually transmitted through items handled by multiple people, such as airplane trays, railings, and buffet spoons, but hand washing is important. Additionally, it’s important to keep your hands away from your face. That is the main route of infection.
Chin-Hong said norovirus seems to be everywhere these days.
“As an aside, many of my colleagues are working on it,” he said.
Additionally, rhinovirus (common cold), whooping cough, and walking pneumonia are also prevalent.
And of course, he said, if you’re sick, please stay home. Nothing stops viruses and contagious germs like staying isolated, even if it means missing out on holiday festivities.
