(From Dr. Bill Kose with Blanchard Valley Health System)
Once again, with the seasons turning to the fall, we at Blanchard Valley Health System want to remind our community that respiratory illnesses like influenza and COVID-19 are spreading more readily. We encourage you to take care of yourself and remember the need to protect others.
It’s hard to get a good sense of the prevalence of COVID since many people experience milder symptoms and might not take a COVID test. However, we do know from wastewater testing that more viruses are circulating.
Generally, people who catch COVID do not get as sick these days as they would have in the past. However, we have had several patients recently who were sick enough with COVID that it required admission to the hospital. As always, people who are older or have compromised immune systems are most at risk.
While the virus is less severe today, it is more contagious. A disease that spreads rapidly among many people – even if most of those people have mild symptoms – can still pose dangers to people who have other illnesses like heart problems and might be at risk for complications.
Of course, COVID isn’t the only respiratory illness out there. Fall and winter also bring higher rates of influenza, bacterial pneumonia, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
RSV causes mild symptoms for most people but can be dangerous for older people and infants. Last year, for the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encouraged adults aged 60 and over to get vaccinated against RSV.
Flu and COVID vaccines are also becoming more readily available and can help protect you if exposed to these illnesses.
All of us can do our part to prevent the spreading of respiratory illnesses. Most young, healthy people who get any of these infections will recover without serious complications, but for others getting sick might be dangerous, even life-threatening. So, the less disease spreads, the safer our most vulnerable will be.
There are also economic ramifications for our community. If many workers are out sick simultaneously, it is harder for a business to be productive. If a lot of children have to stay home from school, not only could they stay caught up in their education, but their parents may need to take time off from work to care for them.
If you do get sick, take whatever steps possible to protect others. Cover coughs and sneezes and stay home or wear a mask while out if you are experiencing significant symptoms. Isolate yourself from other household members if possible, to avoid getting them sick.
Wash your hands frequently, regardless of the time of year. Also, illnesses spread more quickly in winter because people spend more time indoors close to one another. The more you open windows to ventilate rooms when the weather allows, the better. When
you can, go for a walk outside, the fresh air and exercise are also likely to lift your spirits.
Doing your best to avoid catching or spreading illness can protect not only you and your family, but people throughout the community. We encourage you to remember this as we approach the holiday season. Let’s do what we can to ensure it’s a healthy, happy, safe time of year for us all.
William Kose, MD, JD
Vice President of Special Projects, Blanchard Valley Health System