By Carol A. Cates, MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC
Chief Nursing Officer
Odessa Regional Medical Center
Have you heard the saying, “life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer you get to the end the faster it goes”? I know it’s true that every year seems to go by more quickly, but for me, this year for some reason, has seemed to go by disproportionally fast. I am just amazed that it’s already October! Autumn is here and the holidays are coming quickly as well.
Within healthcare, not only does October mean Autumn, with October comes the start of seasonal viral illnesses like flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Even COVID seems like it might be starting to settle into a seasonal pattern. One of the big advantages to living in the U.S. when it comes to seasonal illness is we get a “sneak peek” into the severity of the respiratory virus season because other parts of the globe have their respiratory viral season before we do. Those illnesses each year start in the southern hemisphere and usually travel from east to west. That means we get quite a bit of advanced notice from countries like Australia which hits its flu season several months ahead of us, to Europe which tends to lead us by a few weeks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu should be similar to the 2022-2023 season and the two years before the COVID pandemic. Flu A seems to be the most prevalent, but they are seeing flu B as well. Flu has not made headlines in recent years like COVID has, but flu still kills thousands of people every year. RSV at one time was thought to be just an illness of very small children, but we now know it can also cause severe illness in older and/or immunocompromised adults, too. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, about 6,500 adults over age 65 die in the US each year from RSV. COVID is unfortunately still with us, too, and while hospitalizations and deaths are down significantly, they still happen.
According to the CDC, those at highest risk for seasonal viral illness are adults aged 65 and older, children younger than age 2, people with asthma, people with chronic lung diseases like COPD, people with neurologic and neurodevelopmental conditions, people with blood disorders like sickle cell disease, people with endocrine disorders like diabetes, people with heart disease, people with kidney disorders, people with liver disorders, people with metabolic disorders, people who are obese, people with a weakened immune system due to disease or medications, people who have had a stroke, and disabilities that can affect muscle or lung function. Pregnant or recently delivered moms, and people who live in long-term care facilities are also at higher risk. There is also a great deal of data that shows that people of non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, Latino, Native American and Native Alaskans are at higher risk for hospitalization with seasonal viral illness.
When it comes to seasonal viral illness, the best thing anyone can do is to prevent the spread of those diseases. For that reason, if you are sick, please stay home and away from others. You can go back to normal activities once your symptoms are improving and you have not had any fever (and haven’t used a fever-reducing medication) for 24 hours. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Physical distance matters when it comes to the spread of seasonal viruses. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Ideally cough or sneeze into a tissue and throw it away, but if you can’t cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands. Masking also makes a difference in preventing the spread of disease. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Take steps for cleaner air by bringing in fresh outdoor air, purifying indoor air, or by hosting gatherings outside. Clean frequently touched surfaces often. And take care of yourself, by getting plenty of rest, exercising, managing stress, staying hydrated and eating nutritious food. All of those things will reduce your risk of getting sick.
Finally, consider getting vaccinated. There are vaccines available for RSV, flu and COVID. While vaccines don’t prevent all strains of those viruses, they do prevent most and reduce the severity of illness in the rest. Additionally, the more of us that are vaccinated, those diseases are less likely to affect those people who cannot get vaccinated because of things like allergies (called herd immunity). I know vaccines are a huge topic of debate and I firmly believe in everyone’s right to choose when it comes to their own healthcare. But having said that, please make sure your choices are informed choices based on scientific and proven research and by discussing your concerns with your primary health care provider. Because, for most people, when it comes to risk with vaccines, the risks of disease far outweigh the risks of vaccination.
Please be safe and healthy as we enter our seasonal virus time of year.
