Health experts in Louisville are calling it a “tripledemic”, as hospitals nationwide become overwhelmed with a combination of respiratory viruses and illnesses that are especially dangerous to children and senior citizens.
Kristian Bryant, an epidemiologist at Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville, says no one is immune.
Health experts have coined a term for the three-fold threat of RSV, flu and COVID: “tripledemic.”
Bryant says Norton Children’s Hospital has been seeing record numbers of kids in the emergency department.
It is happening in pediatric emergency rooms across the country, and now the American Academy of Pediatrics is calling on President Biden to declare a national emergency.
In Louisville 20 pediatric patients are currently hospitalized with influenza at Norton Children’s. And Bryant says there are many more respiratory cases.
According to the CDC, hospitalization rates for the week of November 12th were twice as high as any other flu season on record.
The White House says the country’s national stockpile has supplies like ventilators and personal protective equipment, but so far there aren’t any states that have requested them.
Bryant reminds everyone not to forget the precautions that were taken during the height of the pandemic, not the least of which is to stay home if you are feeling sick so you don’t infect someone else.
Instead of declaring a national emergency, federal officials say they are ready to assist communities on a case-by-case basis.
As usual, one of the best precautions you can take is to make sure you and your children keep up to date on vaccinations, including the latest COVID booster.
Source: WDRB
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