A wave of influenza cases has the United States health system on edge ahead of winter, when the highest number of cases of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19 and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, are being reported.
The population most impacted by the dramatic increase in infections are children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in the last week three pediatric deaths associated with influenza. In the same period, 6,465 patients were admitted to hospital with the disease.
“Hospitals are seeing surges in cases. We are experiencing worker shortages. So we have to redeploy staff to areas to make sure we have enough coverage for these young people coming into the hospital,” he told voice of america Nancy Foster, vice president of the American Hospital Association (AHA).
In areas like the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, some patients face complications accessing a hospital bed; “Because we’re so full,” Foster explained.
“It’s not uncharted territory for us, we’ve seen COVID surges before and during flu season, we’ve also seen influenza surges, but to see it in such young patients is particularly heartbreaking,” he added.
The southeastern and south-central areas of the US are reporting the highest levels of infections, followed by the south-central Mid-Atlantic and West Coast regions.
“In the past six months, where we practically returned to almost normality, these viruses gained strength and we are seeing it reflected right now. It will be important to create barriers between us and these viruses to be able to have a New Year’s Eve as we want, to celebrate with the family, ”she explained to the VOA Dr. Ilan Shapiro, medical leader of the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA).
Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease that can cause serious complications such as hospitalization or death. The CDC estimates that during this season of floo2.8 million infections, 23,000 hospitalizations and 1,300 deaths have already been reported.
“What we’re seeing is that people who have the flu and covid at the same time can get more severely ill than people who just have the flu or COVID-19,” said Adriana Bialostozky, an associate professor of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, based in Nashville, Tennessee.
Hispanics and minority groups are at higher risk
People from racial and ethnic minority groups, such as Hispanics, African-Americans and Native Americans, are at higher risk of being hospitalized or dying from the flu because of disparities in vaccination rates, according to a report from the CDC.
“Influenza vaccination coverage continues to be lower among Black, Native American, and Hispanic adults compared to coverage among White and Asian adults. Mistrust in the medical system, misperceptions about vaccine safety, and higher levels of concern about side effects have contributed to lower coverage,” the report states.
The risk of being admitted to intensive care due to the effects of influenza is 1.1 times greater for Latino adults, and up to three times greater for Latino children, according to the CDCs.
“Many times what happens, when I am talking with Hispanic patients and parents, is that there is a lack of information. We hope and believe that we are going to do better and that is exactly when the flu or another problem catches us because we are not prepared,” Shapiro explained to the VOA.
Medical authorities recommend annual influenza vaccination for everyone six months and older.
“You have to get vaccinated, it is the only way to prevent complications. It doesn’t prevent you from getting the disease, but it definitely decreases your risks of getting very sick,” added Bialostozky, who confirmed that “we have seen that there are ethnic and racial differences in the number of hospitalizations. African Americans are the ones who are hospitalized the most and then Latinos come (…) Vaccination levels are also low and we need to be aware that this is something we need to improve and discuss it with your doctor”.
In addition, medical experts emphasized resuming the use of the mask to avoid infection and maintaining constant hand washing as protection methods. “I know that many people are very tired, but if used strategically it can be very effective in keeping people healthy,” concluded the AHA vice president.
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