Santa's sneezes

As Santa’s big day approaches, medical experts are recommending caution – especially around members of your family and social circle who are more vulnerable to serious illness, such as infants and the elderly.

An increase in contagious diseases has been reported all around the nation, with an earlier flu season than usual.

“We have been seeing some RSV, especially in the pediatric population,” says Micki Lyons, CEO for Crook County Medical Services District.

“There has been an uptick of Influenza A in the county along with Strep. There are still a few incidences of COVID-19 being seen as well.”

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has been warning of a heightened risk of respiratory diseases this year.

“Nationally, we are seeing elevated levels of respiratory viruses including RSV, flu and COVID-19. Especially for RSV and flu, these levels are higher than we generally see this time of year,” said Ben Haynes, CDC spokesperson.

During the first week of December, for example, Haynes said that hospital admissions for flu were the highest that had been seen at this time of year in a decade.

The holidays are, of course, the time of year for loved ones to come together for extended periods of time – and it’s not feasible to do that in an outdoor setting during the winter.

“Using caution during the holiday season is important as we all start to spend time indoors with large groups of loved ones,” says Lyons.

At this time, the most frequently reported virus is influenza A, according to the CDC. Activity remains high, though it is declining in some places, with 48 jurisdictions around the U.S. reporting high or very high activity.

In Wyoming, flu activity is currently categorized as high.

The CDC estimated on December 10 that flu had so far caused 15 million illnesses this season, including 150,000 hospitalizations and 9300 deaths.

Getting an annual flu vaccine is considered the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from flu. Those at greater risk of complications include adults over the age of 65, adults with chronic health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and chronic kidney disease and pregnant women.

Symptoms of flu include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. For some people, symptoms may also include vomiting and diarrhea.

If you are sick, limit contact with others as much as possible, cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze and wash your hands often. The CDC recommends that you stay at home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone.

Antiviral drugs are available to make the illness milder and shorten the time you are sick, and can also prevent serious flu complications. They work best when started within two days of getting sick so, if you are higher risk and get flu symptoms, contact your healthcare provider early.

RSV causes symptoms including runny nose, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing. In very young infants, the symptoms may instead be irritability, decreased activity and breathing difficulties.

Most RSV infections go away on their own within a week or two and there is no specific treatment available. Symptoms can be relieved through over-the-counter fever reducers and pain relievers (however, you should never give aspirin to children) and it’s important to drink enough fluids and talk to your healthcare provider before giving a child nonprescription cold medicines.

RSV can cause more severe infections and is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children under a year of age. Some people with RSV, especially older adults and infants below the age of six months, may need to be hospitalized if they are having trouble breathing or are dehydrated.

If you have cold-like symptoms, the CDC recommends avoiding interactions with children at high risk for severe RSV disease, including premature infants, children younger than two years of age with chronic lung or heart conditions, children with weakened immune systems or children with neuromuscular diseases.

The CDC is currently looking into a possible increase in one type of strep infection among children in the U.S. Your healthcare provider can test to see if a sore throat is strep throat, and antibiotics are available to treat it.

Symptoms of strep include sore throat that can start quickly, pain when swallowing, fever, red and swollen tonsils, tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth and swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck. It can also cause headache, stomach pain, nausea or vomiting, especially in children, and sometimes a rash (known as “scarlet fever”).

Strep is more common in children and the most common risk factor for illness is close contact with another person who is infected. Serious complications are not common.

Again, good hygiene is the best way to limit the spread, including hand-washing and covering your mouth and nose while sneezing.