Is the United States facing a “quademia” of viruses? – Desert News

Public health officials warn that the United States could face a “quademic” — the convergence of four miserable viruses that can make people sick circulating at the same time.

In the UK it is called the “Four Soar”. But whatever you call it, it’s bad news.

The flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus are all making people unhappy right now. It is therefore particularly important that everyone takes precautions and adopts good illness etiquette to avoid catching or transmitting one or more circulating microbes. .

Three of them are respiratory. Norovirus instead causes gastrointestinal disorders. So there is potential for misery everywhere, because everyone is “circulating in force this winter throughout the United States,” as the Boston Globe puts it.

The misery of norovirus

Norovirus is particularly nasty. According to the article “Diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. And joy of joys, you can also have flu symptoms: headache, fever, body aches. Norovirus is circulating twice as fast as last season’s peak, thanks to a new strain we’ve never experienced before in the United States, meaning we’re not safe from previous exposures.

Fortunately, there are steps people can take that, hopefully combined, will help people avoid getting sick.

Norovirus is highly contagious, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And it’s spreading quickly too. You can catch it directly from sick people and through contaminated food, water or surfaces. The CDC says you are most contagious when you feel sick and also for a few days after you feel better. This can spread up to two weeks after you think you are well.

People excrete billions of norovirus particles when they are sick and right afterward, and then others touch these tiny particles of feces or vomit, inhale or ingest them. And food can be placed on a contaminated surface, watered with contaminated water, etc.

You can avoid it by washing your hands often with soap and water, not touching your mouth, cleaning fruits and vegetables completely, cooking meat and seafood thoroughly, and washing frequently. clothing and bedding.

If you get sick, you’ll just have to get through it. But watch out for dehydration, which can be life-threatening, according to the CDC. And stay away from others, to spare them misery.

The respiratory trio

The respiratory trio – COVID, flu and RSV – is not easy either, especially for older, younger or immunocompromised people.

Without testing, it can be difficult to tell them apart because the symptoms can be similar: headache, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, congestion and, often, body aches. Unlike noroviruses, these three viruses have vaccines, so prevention is possible, provided that what is circulating matches the vaccine formulation. And people may have some natural immunity from previous exposures.

The CDC says this flu season has already sickened more than 9 million people, including 110,000 hospitalizations and 4,700 deaths. In 16 cases, young children died. A surveillance map shows Utah has moderate flu activity and Wyoming’s is low. But the state is otherwise surrounded by high, even very high, flu activity. Only Montana and West Virginia currently have low flu activity nationally.

Antiviral medications can help people at risk of serious illness from the flu and COVID-19, a group that also includes pregnant women. They do not constitute assistance for the RSV. To avoid spreading it, isolate yourself from others, wash your hands often, don’t sneeze or cough in front of people (use your elbow to catch droplets). Masks also provide protection for you and others.

Young children with RSV often wheeze and build up phlegm, the CDC said. The small airways in the lung become irritated. Young children and people over 75 are most likely to require hospitalization.

In some parts of the country, hospitals are limiting visitors due to high virus activity in communities.

In addition, it is also the cold season.