The flu, COVID, and RSV are driving respiratory-illness activity up nationwide.
Welcome to sick season.
According to the CDC, New York City — along with New Jersey and at least 16 other states — is now experiencing “high” to “very high” levels of respiratory-illness activity as measured by the number of weekly visits to health-care providers and emergency rooms by people having symptoms of fever, cough, and sore throat.
The culprits are the usual suspects: this year’s strains of influenza, COVID, and RSV. And though flulike-illness levels have been above baseline nationally for several consecutive weeks, the CDC warns that we still haven’t hit the peak.
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As always, seniors remain the most at-risk demographic for severe outcomes from respiratory illnesses, which is why the low vaccination rates for that group remain troubling.
Beyond vaccination, for everyone, the best way to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like the flu and RSV is regular handwashing; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; and staying home if you get sick. High-filtration face masks still work great, too, and not just for avoiding COVID.
The hospital here does have a separate surgery center, but it is only for simple procedures. Apparently mine requires more than what the surgery center can do, so I have to be in the main hospital.
I'm hopeful too, thanks. I am trying not to stress, but any surgery is risky, so I'm a little bit on edge, but I've been sick for months, so this is my last hope before the Mayo clinic.
Saw a guy on the subway having a cough the whole ride, two weeks later I have COVID again. I find myself wearing a mask this month cause I don't want a flu or anything, and not a single person has a mask on and is looking at me like I'm a psycho for wearing a mask.
I have seen so many sniffly and sick people out and about recently and not a single one had a mask. It's like everyone just said fuck it, forgot about the pandemic and just went back to no masks and looking at masked people like they're crazy
I moved to Portland over a year ago and I'd say about 25% of people at the grocery stores here are still wearing masks to this day and nobody makes a fuss about it. It's been great.
A significant portion of the population still believes masks don't work because their favorite talking heads told them they don't.
I made the mistake of going back to Reddit ONCE and got in an argument with an alleged "MPH" (master of public health) who was adamant masks don't work, despite the overwhelming evidence they do. He ended up threatening to stab me with an icepick. Multiple times across various, unrelated threads. Reddit actually banned him.
These motherfuckers are out there and they're some combination of stupid and crazy.
This reminds me that I have to get more N95 masks. People don't give a shit here in Seattle. Most grocery store workers wear one and about 10% of the public still does.
My local grocery store took down the plastic shields between The customer and the cashier this month, after they've been up for years why take them down during flu season? It's just so foolish how everyone is letting their guard down
Yeah, I developed a cough and decided it was time for masks again but because I know it will definitely work to help me avoid spreading whatever I got further.
I wish that was what most people used them for too since that makes pretty good sense to me but... Nope. One nice guy in a wave of people who would lick my eyeball if they thought it would give them 5 seconds of happiness.
Its almost like the government told us we were on our own to stay safe, then stopped funding the tracking, testing, and reporting that would let us do so.
Tests are great, but the wrong end of the funnel. The virus has already potentially permanently altered my immune system when that positive line pops up. There's no way for me to know how much community spread is happening so I can avoid indoor spaces when its high. Hospitals are basically only reporting deaths so I don't know when I should be more serious about masking. Really the fact that we still need free tests is a giant flashing failure light.
I just had the nastiest something I’ve had in a LONG time last week. Got tested for covid, influenza, and strep, all negative. Guessing it was RSV or just a really bad cold, not sure.
My partner got it from me and got hit twice as hard and wound up with a 103 degree fever and unable to get out of bed.
Keep crowding those emergency rooms for non emergencies folks...that certainly help those in need and reduce wait times and healthcare workers workloads...
Is that a serious question? I sincerely hope that people don't think that is a thing to do.
Going to the ER is always going to be more expensive than going to a regular doctor, with insurance or without.
An urgent care clinic or general medical center is where you're supposed to go for non-emergency care. If you can't afford the doctor bills at those, then the local county health department should offer medical services at reduced cost for low-income people.
Insurance doesnt give you access to the doctor. It reduces the cost for the going to the doctor...
Edit: ITT a bunch of uneducated and misinformed people argue with and downvote me for describing the current American Healthcare System because they dont like the current American Healthcare System, so they feel entitled to just go "nuh uh, I'm poor, the rules don't apply to me. Imma just steal the most expensive healthcare."
That's American health care. I saw a guy call an ambulance because he didn't want to work rest of the shift. Didn't even ask for a ride to hospital or tell anyone until ambulance shows up. Never paid a dime.
I got taken the hospital (passed out from dehydration at work) and my insurance covered the hospital visit but NOT the ambulance because I didn't spend the night - thus making it a $1300 "non-essential" service.