Fears of a "tripledemic" in the U.S. seem to be coming to true, as flu hospitalizations hit their highest level in a decade, COVID cases rise following Thanksgiving gatherings, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continues to sicken children across the country.
"This year’s flu season is off to a rough start,” Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, board chair of the American Medical Association, said at a Dec. 5 press briefing hosted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Flu is here. It started early, and with COVID and RSV also circulating, it’s a perfect storm for a terrible holiday season.” ...
As of the week ending in Nov. 26, all but five states are experiencing "high" or "very high" flu activity, the CDC reported. Based on the CDC's flu activity ranking by level, New Hampshire is the only state at level 1 (also called "minimal"), and 11 states are at the highest level recorded so far, 13. These are:
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California
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Colorado
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Kentucky
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Nebraska
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New Mexico
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Ohio
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South Carolina
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Tennessee
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Texas
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Virginia
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Washington
Brewer also says the parts of the U.S. with the lowest vaccination rates against COVID-19 and flu "will most likely get into trouble with these viruses,” he said. (There's no vaccine against RSV.) ...
