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With cases climbing, state officials are encouraging people to get vaccinated against the flu, as well as get COVD-19 booster shots. Photo by Michelle Le

Transmission of the flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus is increasing statewide simultaneously and could lead to overwhelmed hospitals this winter, one of the state’s top health officials said Thursday, Nov. 17.

COVID test positivity and case rates have climbed by roughly 25% over the last two weeks along with evidence of increase transmission in the state’s wastewater systems, according to state Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.

Cases of flu and RSV, which causes infections in the respiratory tract, have also increased sharply in recent weeks and have already led to increased hospital populations across the state.

“In every category that we track, whether it’s test positivity, case rate numbers, wastewater surveillance, clinical surveillance, hospitalizations, we’re seeing increases for RSV, flu and COVID,” Ghaly said.

The state has also already seen levels of RSV among young children that rival previous years’ peaks, which usually occur in late January, February and March.

While most children infected with RSV will only deal with common cold symptoms like a fever, cough and runny nose, young children are at greater risk because their respiratory and immune systems are still developing.

“Certainly, if that’s all it were, we’d be a lot less concerned,” he said of the common cold symptoms. “But for infants and young toddlers in particular, RSV can cause a much worse experience.”

There is not currently a vaccine for RSV, but Ghaly urged state residents to get a flu vaccine and a COVID booster vaccine, if eligible.

As of Nov. 3, just 13.3% of state residents have received an updated COVID booster, which targets two subvariants of the omicron variant as well as the original strain of the virus.

The booster is currently available to everyone ages 5 and up who received their last vaccine dose at least five months prior.

Ghaly also noted that it is not too late to get a flu or COVID vaccine and that it will still protect those who have yet to get either shot ahead of the winter holidays.

“We can’t always prevent you from getting an infection, but we do have some tools that can make more likely that you don’t have severe disease,” Ghaly said. “And that severe disease is exactly what leads you to be hospitalized and … even lose your life.”

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3 Comments

  1. “As of Nov. 3, just 13.3% of state residents have received an updated COVID booster, which targets two subvariants of the omicron variant as well as the original strain of the virus.”

    “The booster is currently available to everyone ages 5 and up who received their last vaccine dose at least five months prior.”

    ^ It’s no wonder the percentage for the subsequent Omicron vaccinations is low.

    Following the two initial COVID vaccinations which are spaced about a month apart, the boosters are supposed to be administered every 6 months.

    For those who got a #4 COVID booster this past summer of 2022, six months away is around January 2023.

  2. Just an observation,

    Since OPERATION WARP SPEED is over, the vaccines are not going to be updated fast enough for the likely 1200 variants wee will have in March 2023.

    So we are back to square one or worse regarding Covid, it has so many changes now that there is NO WAY to vaccinate ourselves from constant waves of infection.

    The damages are already to severe to even calculate. As much a 9.5 Million peopled disabled, others never ever going top perform the same again. The current labor shortages WILL continue so even if the FED keeps increasing the rates, inflation is not controllable when you have such a radical drop of production with no ability to control demand on many kinds of markets, like energy, food, and medicine.

    This WILL force no business to be able to borrow money to pay workers, so that business model is DEAD. The world will have to earn as they go. And acquiring any kind of ROI above Inflation rates will NEVER occur again.

    I just saw a video about a Microsoft Azure engineer being laid off. That is the only growth part of the Microsoft Enterprise brand, they use it to establish fault tolerant management of Microsoft networks. The fact that those jobs are dropping means Microsoft is about to fall off a cliff. And that is nothing compared to Meta, Twitter, Alphabet, and others.

    MY GOD DID WE SCREW UP ON COVID

  3. Could the masking and social isolation of children over time lead to an inadequately developed immune system, putting them at greater risk in the long term?

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