The United States is experiencing yet another wave of respiratory illness, with flu hospitalizations reaching their highest level in a decade, COVID-19 cases climbing and respiratory syncytial continuing to sicken more people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday.
Forty four U.S. states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Hospitalizations for all three respiratory viruses are straining healthcare systems, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a media briefing.
Preventable deaths
In the briefing, Walensky thanked healthcare workers for their diligent work in fighting repeated viral surges since the pandemic started.
“We now face yet another surge of illness. Another moment of overstretched capacity and really one of tragic and often preventable death,” she told listeners.
Colder weather and indoor gatherings have likely contributed to the viral spikes, Walensky said. In addition, flu vaccinations are down, with rates for adults aged 65 and older and other vulnerable groups at levels lower than last year. COVID booster vaccine uptake has also lagged in this age group.
At last count, nursing home residents have received updated booster shots at a rate of 44%, and the same is true of about 31% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older overall. But booster numbers are nowhere near 94%, the rate at which seniors received the original series of shots, NBC has reported.
Internist Sandra Fryhofer, MD, who also joined the call, said the flu season is off to a rough and early start.
“[W]ith COVID and RSV also circulating, it’s a perfect storm for a terrible holiday season,” said Fryhofer, who is chair of the American Medical Association.
Impact on seniors
COVID cases are rising as well, increasing 27% in the week ending Dec. 2. New hospital admissions are chiefly among seniors aged 70 years and older, followed by those aged 60 to 69, according to a New York Times report on CDC data, from Dec. 5.
And hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus rates also remain higher than usual in seniors, although they appeared to be trending downward at the end of November. The disease has caused a spike of infections in the elderly along with unusual hospitalization levels for children this fall.
CDC mulls tracker change
Along with getting vaccinated against flu and boosted for COVID-19, Walensky urged Americans to take extra precautions against transmission. This included mask wearing where community viral transmission is high.
In response to the unprecedented “tripledemic” of viruses this season, the agency is considering changing its COVID-19 community level tracker to include other viral illnesses, Walensky added. This system was originally developed to inform healthcare providers of local COVID-19 transmission risk and provide evidence for taking mitigation measures.
Related articles:
In advance of possible flu surge, vaccination for seniors may lower need for antibiotics
Seniors hit hardest as flu rate shoots up in 30 states
Seasonal flu vax guidance released, with drug preferences for seniors
