CASES OF FLU ARE AT A THREE YEAR HIGH. >> IT’S BEEN A NONSTOP WAVE AFTER WAVE OF SICK KIDS AND ADULTS WHO HAVE COME INTO EMERGENCY ROOMS, HOSPITALS, URGING CARE SINCE MARCH. AND IT’S JUST A REALLY BAD THING SINCE FALL AND WILL BE A LONG WINTER. >> RSV HOSPITALIZATIONS AND MARYLAND PEAK ACCORDING TO THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS DASHBOARD. CREATED TWO WEEKS AGO. SINCE THEN THE NUMBER OF CASES IS DRASTICALLY DROPPED. >> IT NEVER REALLY ACTED LIKE THIS BEFORE WHERE IT GOES STRAIGHT UP REALLY FAST AND DOWN REALLY FAST, WHICH IS WHAT WE SAW WITH COVID INFECTIONS, ESPECIALLY LAST YEAR WITH OMICRON. >> DR. SCOTT, VICE CHAIR OF PEDIATRICS AT SINAI HOSPITAL SAID IT STRANGE AND ATYPICAL BUT GETTING BETTER. QUAKES KIDS AREN’T RIDING IN EMERGENCY ROOMS FOR A DAY OR TWO WAITING FOR HOSPITAL BEDS. >> WITH LESS MEDICAL STAFF TRAINED TO TAKE CARE OF SIX KIDS, THEY CONCERN IS WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE HOLIDAY, VIRUS SEASONS ARE OUT OF WHACK FROM WHAT THEY WERE BEFORE. >> I THINK WE WILL HAVE PERSISTENT FLU CASES IN COULD BE COMPETING WITH COVID, EVERYONE SEEMS TO THINK OVER IS GONE BUT IT’S NOT, HOSPITALIZATION RATES ARE HIGHER THAN A FEW MONTHS AGO AND WILL KEEP GOING UP. >> HOSPITALIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE HIGHER THAN THEY’VE BEEN IN THREE YEARS. RIGHT NOW THE CDC REPORTING VERY HIGH FLU ACTIVITY IN MARYLAND. >> I THINK THERE’S NO SIGN THAT IT’S LEVELING OFF, STILL SHOOTING UP ALL OVER THE PLACE. IT’S PROBABLY GOING TO REMAIN AT HIGH LEVELS FOR A FEW MONTHS. I DON’T THINK IT WILL DO THIS STRAIGHT UP-AND-DOWN THING. >> HOSPITALS ARE HOLDING STEADY DESPITE STAFFING SHORTAGES AND EATING MORE SUPPLIES WITH LESS MONEY. >> ALL THE PANDEMIC DOLLARS ARE NOW DONE. SO IT’S ALL JUST CAUSE FOR HOSPITALS, WHICH WILL MAKE IT CHALLENGING. >> THERE ARE WAYS TO FIGHT BACK, HE SAYS GET YOUR FLU SHOT IN YOUR COVID BOOSTERS NOW AND REMEMBER, WASH HER HANDS, KEEP YOUR HANDS OUT OF YOUR FACE AND WEAR A MASK. THEY MAY NOT BE REQUIRED, BUT THEY DO WORK