AUSTIN (KXAN) — At the height of flu season, Austin pharmacists are seeing an upward trend in viral infections peaking earlier than in previous years.
Rannon Ching is the Managing Pharmacist for Tarrytown Pharmacy. With this time being one of the early winter seasons, he said there are multiple respiratory illnesses competing at the same time, leading to a higher concentration of airborne viral illnesses.
Flu season began Oct. 1 and runs through April, with traditional case peaks in January or February. This season, Ching said cases are starting to peak about a month earlier than normal.
“This is one of the first winter seasons where we have multiple respiratory viruses in the community, whether it’s COVID, RSV or a flu bout, there’s a lot going on,” he said.
With many respiratory diseases floating around, the increased risk of combined infections or contracting multiple diseases at the same time arises. With that comes the possibility of hospitalization and more serious adverse outcomes, he said.
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“When you start accumulating these different infections, whether it’s flu, COVID and RSV, it can often turn into pneumonia,” he said. “That’s when you start to see these really big spikes in hospitalization and serious adverse outcomes.”
Despite this spike in viral activity, Ching said interest in the vaccine that peaked in mid-October has since waned, adding that most people likely to get vaccinated have already received it. She stressed that for those still considering the flu shot or other vaccines, it takes about two weeks after the vaccine for your body to build up a higher level of immunity.
“The best thing to do is if you haven’t had the vaccine, go ahead and get it, because it gives your body that edge, it gives your body that extra protection so that if you get the flu. or COVID, at least you already have some defenses built.
Along with vaccinations, Ching said masks are always an option for people to consider, especially ahead of the holidays and travel spikes.
“There is a reason why the flu was almost non-existent in 2020 and 2021,” he said. “The universal or widespread use of masks decreases the prevalence of all these respiratory diseases.”
Source: news.google.com