EUGENE, Ore.—It's being called the triple-demic; cases of RSV, the flu, and COVID are climbing across the country, and now the Oregon Health Authority is requiring all hospitals to report RSV deaths in anyone under 18 years old. The new rule is in effect until May 29, 2023.
Jason Davis, a spokesperson for Lane County Public Health, said right now, they're seeing more than 1,000 cases of RSV.
"Which is really high, and then when you juxtapose that with the COVID-19 and the flu cases on the rise, then you are seeing just a lot of folks sick in our community," Davis said.
Davis said thankfully, the peak for RSV is expected to come soon, saying case numbers will start to go down by the end of December.
"Again, though we're also talking about the flu and COVID, and the flu typically peaks the third week of January, and our cases are still on the rise, we're still looking like we're having one of the worst flu seasons since about 2017, 2018," Davis said.
So, how do we get through this holiday season healthy and happy? Well, Davis said, it's simple.
"Cover your cough and sneeze, sit it out if you're sick, then dispose of your Kleenex properly. You can wear a mask if you're feeling light symptoms but don't want to miss out on your holiday gatherings, and you can just keep a little bit of some distance in those situations," Davis said.
As for new mom, Annie Evans, she told KEZI it can be a little scary knowing all these viruses are going around.
"I will say, I don't like to take her out in highly populated areas," Evans said.
But she said she isn't too worried about this holiday season.
"Just take extra precautions, wash your hands all the time and sanitize," Evans said.
