When Covid-19, Flu and RSV Collide: How to Navigate Sickness this Holiday Season - The Wall Street Journal

Federal health officials warn of an early increase in respiratory viruses activity this fall.

have said they’re strained due to an early surge in RSV and other common respiratory viruses.

Mitigation measures to help fight Covid-19 such as distancing, masking and reducing travel looked to have a marked impact on other respiratory viruses.

Now, those viruses are making a comeback as fewer people are taking precautions and many people likely have less recent exposure compared with prior seasons, doctors said.

Doctors said that a simultaneous surge in Covid-19, flu and RSV could put more pressure on hospitals.

Getting infected with two viruses at the same time might cause worse outcomes, doctors said.

This will help prevent severe infection, reduce the risk of hospitalization and death, and might also help prevent transmission, health experts say.

Covid-19 precautions such as wearing a mask in public indoor spaces also help protect against the flu, public health experts said.

Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are simmering at a sustained level, but health officials have said they expect cases to increase as the weather cools and people gather indoors around the holidays

People can also take precautions such as wearing a mask, testing before gathering and staying home when sick to help prevent catching and spreading Covid-19 and other viruses, public health experts said