[ad_1]
Summer heat, outdoor fun…and cold and flu symptoms?
The three may not go together in the minds of many people: partly because of the general myths about bacteria, partly because many viruses actually have lower levels of activity in the summer.
However, in the summer it is possible to sniffle, or even worse. For example, federal data released on Friday shows that Covid-19 is prevalent in many parts of the country, with emergency departments coming to people of all ages.
Here’s what you need to know about summer viruses:
How much does it cost to get colds and flu right now?
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people seeking medical care for three important diseases (Covid-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV) is currently low.
The flu is down and RSV has been stable this week. However, Covid-19 is prevalent in many states on the Mid-Atlantic, southeastern, south and west coast.
Covid-19 is expected to eventually settle into winter season patterns like other coronaviruses, but the past few years have resulted in a late summer surge, said Dr. Dean Brunberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of California, Davis Children’s Hospital.
Other viruses that circulate during this period include those that have cold-like symptoms, pain and rash-like symptoms, and the norovirus causes diseases of the “hands, feet, and mouth” called stomach flu.
Will the virus be reduced in the summer?
Many viruses circulate seasonally and pick up when the weather cools in autumn and winter. So, it is true that few people have suffocating noses and coughs in the summer, but cold weather itself does not cause colds.
It’s not just seasonality. Another factor is our actions, experts say. The good weather means people are gathering outside with windows open.
However, respiratory viruses still exist. The weather gets too hot and when everyone gets inside for air conditioning, the doctor says it starts to see more illnesses. In places that are really hot for a long time, summer can be a cold season in itself.
“I grew up on the East Coast and in the winter, everyone got sick,” said Dr. Frank Lavecchio, an emergency room doctor and researcher at Arizona State University. “A lot of people get sick this summer. Why is that so? Because we spend more time indoors.”
Should you get another Covid-19 booster now?
For those who are otherwise healthy, timing is an important consideration for getting a vaccine. If that’s the reason for the boost, you’d like to get it a few weeks before that big trip or wedding, the doctor says. But for most people, it may be worth the wait to really like it before falling, expecting the Covid-19 winter incident.
“We’ve seen a lot of experience in our health,” said Dr. Costi Schiffli, University of Virginia Health System.
People at high risk of complications should always talk to their doctor about what’s best for them, Shiffli added. Elderly people and people with weak immune systems may need more boosters than others, he said.
Are there any young children who are sick due to Covid-19?
Last week, the CDC noted that emergency room visits among children under the age of four are on the rise. That makes sense because many young children have never got it or are not getting vaccinated for the first time, Blumberg said.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in May that shots would no longer be recommended for healthy children. The American Academy of Pediatrics remains supportive of Covid-19 shots for children over six months.
How else can you reduce the risk?
The same things that help prevent summer colds, flu and covid are what do other jobs in the summer, doctors say.
If possible, spend time outside, wash your hands and wear a mask. If you are sick, stay home.
___
The Associated Press School of Health Sciences is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institution’s Department of Science and Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AP is solely responsible for all content.
[ad_2]Source link
