Across the United States, the number of infections from COVID-19, the flu, RSV and norovirus are reaching high numbers. The infection rate of viruses like influenza, or the flu, has grown from 4% of tests being positive to 25% of tests being positive, as shown on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s NREVSS Dashboard, a service used to collect tests done by national hospitals, clinics and businesses. Also, the CDC has placed Texas as high risk for respiratory infections on their Respiratory Virus Activity Levels page. Now, what does this mean for Richland and how can the spread of viruses be stopped?
Megan Romeo, a Richland Campus biology professor, was not surprised by the rise in cases. “The respiratory tract is super easy to get infected,” she said. When asked why viral infections are so common in the winter season, Romeo said that since “This year is extra cold … usually the lower the humidity is and the dryer your body is, the easier microbes to really kind of sneak in through your respiratory tract.”
These conditions would make it easier to invade the body as there would be less of a protective barrier. When asked on how these viruses spread, she defined both flu and COVID-19, saying that they both “infect the upper respiratory tract … usually your nose, throat, down into your lungs. That’s where they start causing a problem.”
When asked why so many cases were happening across the U.S. currently, she said, “Even before COVID, not very many people would get vaccinated every year. It was usually people who worked in healthcare, or the elderly, or the little ones…”
While the number of vaccines administered is important to understanding the spread of infection, Romeo also said the vaccine itself, saying, “Every year when they put out the flu vaccines, it’s kind of almost an educated guess.”
Each year, the flu vaccine is put together with various strains, making it much less a guarantee of immunity and more a prediction of what would present itself over the course of the year. “It will also depend on how many people get vaccinated that year, and how good their vaccine compendium that they put together was. If it was a really good mixture that year, the flu rates will be very low. If it wasn’t that great of a mixture that year, sometimes you’ll get a lot of influenza or influenza-like viruses,” Romeo said.
When asked about the latter viruses, she said, “For RSV, the vaccine is not super common. Usually, the people that are really affected by RSV are children. Most little kids are getting sick … and most of it is RSV.”
This is supported by multiple school districts across North Texas closing their doors for illnesses, with Godley ISD stating on their website that “Just today, almost 650 students were absent with all campuses reporting low attendance rates in the 70-80% range; several more students went home sick from school throughout the day.”
However, the rate of RSV cases is not commonly accurate. “A lot of doctors will tell you that ‘Oh yeah, your kid has RSV. Do you want to get them tested for it?’ and most people are like ‘No, if that’s what it is that’s what it is.’ so RSV cases might be even higher because a lot of people don’t get their kids tested for it,” Romeo said.
When asked about norovirus, she said rather than a virus, it is in fact “a very nasty tummy bug,” and that there was “no vaccine for that one. That one you pick up really easy.” A standout from the other three, norovirus acts much more like a stomach bug, lasting “68 to 72 hours,” Romeo said.
Pharmacies have had a tough time approaching this influx in patients. Araceli Santiago, a pharmacy technician for CVS, said the influx of patients this winter has affected pharmacy operations. Working for the pharmacy for multiple years, Santiago said there “hasn’t been this many people in the pharmacy compared to when I started.” Tamiflu, a commonly prescribed prescription for the flu, has been in high demand. “I fill a Tamiflu in between every single prescription that I can. Everyone is getting sick. No matter what level of sickness they’re on, they’re getting prescribed Tamiflu either way,” Santiago said.
“Compared to 2 years ago, there have been many Tamiflu prescriptions and Tamiflu has been flying off the shelves and getting backordered. But I would say more recently it’s becoming more of a problem because now there’s more people who want it and they just keep facing these rising numbers of people wanting Tamiflu,” she said.
Now, how can you keep yourself and others safe on campus? The CDC recommends multiple strategies to prevent the spread of viruses. One strategy is getting Immunized, with the CDC stating that Immunizations “are best tools we have for preventing serious illness from flu, COVID-19 and RSV.”
Other strategies mentioned by the CDC include “Staying home and away from others when you are sick (including people you live with), covering coughs and sneezes, improving ventilation and washing hands often.”
However, there is no other way to prevent contracting norovirus than following the previous strategies and staying clean as there is no vaccination available for norovirus.
