How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From Flu, RSV and COVID-19

COVID-19 has been the dominant virus over the last two years with fewer cases of other respiratory illnesses such as the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Many health care experts say this year could be different and warn of a “tripledemic” with a high number of COVID-19, flu and RSV cases happening at the same time.

Several Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) infectious diseases experts took to Facebook Live to answer your questions about a potential “tripledemic” and what you can do to protect yourself and your family from respiratory viruses this winter. Here are some of the main takeaways.

According to Timothy Friel, MD, Chair, Department of Medicine, LVHN, the spike in respiratory illnesses is because of a lack of immunity within the community. “We’ve seen so few cases of influenza and RSV over the last few years that our ability to develop an immune response has gone away a little bit. Unfortunately, theses viruses are back with a vengeance. We are seeing a higher number of RSV cases earlier than ever before,” he says.

Friel says that the good news about COVID-19 is that cases have continued to decline and almost everyone has some type of immunity against the virus. However, new variants are circulating which are causing an expected increase in cases as we head into the winter.

Health care experts predict how the flu will impact North America by how the virus impacts Australia and other countries in the Southern Hemisphere. This year, those countries saw much higher numbers of flu cases and an increase in hospitalizations among those over 65 and children under 4.

RSV is a common respiratory illness that generally affects children under the age of 2, however, pediatric infectious diseases physician Tibisay Villalobos, MD, with Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, says this year they are seeing older children as well. “We have been admitting children of all ages, mostly infants because they are most vulnerable, to the hospital. A lot of older children with health issues like asthma or developmental issues also are getting really sick,” she says.

Villabos says that the same precautions used to prevent transmission of COVID-19 can be used to prevent RSV. “Encourage children to wash their hands, use their own eating utensils, and of course if they are older to wear a mask to school if they have been sick,” she says.

Friel says they would like testing to be front and center on people’s minds. “We have very good, effective treatments for influenza and COVID-19 that can change the course of illness and reduce the likelihood of severe disease and hopefully keep people out of the hospital. This medication can only be used if people test,” Friel says.

Friel advises the best way to determine whether you need to test or further treatment is to schedule a virtual visit. “Virtual visits are the quickest and most convenient way to be seen while you’re sick, while protecting others from your illness. Your doctor can advise whether any testing may be necessary,” he says. Virtual visits can be scheduled through LVHN’s secure patient portal MyLVHN.org or through the MyLVHN app.

While there are effective treatment options for the flu and COVID-19, Terry Burger, RN, Administrator for Infection Control and Prevention, LVHN, stresses the importance of preventive measures. “We do have effective vaccines for both flu and COVID. I strongly, strongly encourage people to run, not walk, to get both of those vaccines. They take two weeks to work, and we are already into the season,” she says.