Beware of the ‘triple-demic’: Whatcom health officials looking toward cold and flu season
Whatcom County health officials are starting to see an increase in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, and they fear that a winter surge of three serious respiratory illnesses could again overwhelm hospitals and doctors offices.
Dr. Greg Thompson, one of Whatcom County’s two health officers, told the Public Health Advisory Board in a presentation last week that he’s looking to the Southern Hemisphere, where the cold and flu season is winding down, for clues to how things might shake out locally.
Current vaccines against COVID and influenza seem to be effective in helping to avoid the “triple-demic” that tore through schools and workplaces last year, according to the CDC, he said.
In an interview, Thompson told The Bellingham Herald that he’s more worried about the health care system’s ability to handle a crush of respiratory ailments at once.
“The vaccines that we have for (influenza) look like a good match for the strains this year. Same with COVID. What worries me is that our surge capacity is very limited,” Thompson said.
Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is already appearing in the Southeast, including Florida, he said.
Last year, the three respiratory illnesses — COVID-19, influenza and RSV — caused havoc by peaking at the same time, Thompson told The Herald.
Seasonal vaccines for COVID-19 and influenza will be available, and new RSV vaccines are due out soon for vulnerable people such as pregnant women, infants, toddlers and people 60 and older, he said.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 infection rates remain below pandemic levels, and officials are watching the numbers, Thompson told the health advisory board on Tuesday.
“We’re still near historic lows, but it’s going up,” Thompson said.
Reflecting a national trend, COVID-19 hospitalizations have been rising from the single digits a month ago to 15 people hospitalized with the disease on Thursday at PeaceHealth’s St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, spokeswoman Bev Mayhew told The Herald.
Tips for saying healthy
According to yalemedicine.org, these tips can help the spread of the “Big 3” respiratory illnesses:
▪ Hand washing and cleaning contaminated surfaces are important to slow the spread of RSV.
▪ COVID and flu don’t spread through surfaces but rather from sneezing, coughing, and expelling respiratory droplets and aerosols. Coughing into a tissue and disposing of it immediately is important.
▪ Avoid others who are sick. And if you or your child is sick, stay away from others until you are improving and fever-free.
This story was originally published September 11, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
