'Tridemic' threat concerns local medical experts

Carly Newton, The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
·3 min read

Nov. 2—PLATTSBURGH — Medical experts have expressed some concerns over a potential surge in COVID-19, flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) cases locally.

Dr. Keith Collins, infectious disease physician at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH), said he is worried about what many are now calling a possible "tridemic," because the hospital has already seen a rise in RSV cases as well as a steady amount of COVID cases coming in.

"We are seeing people coming in with RSV a lot, that's one we're seeing. I know Influenza has been reported in Clinton County, we have not had someone admitted and hospitalized with influenza at this point, thank goodness, but we have had people hospitalized with RSV," Collins said.

"We always have people in our hospital right now with COVID; however, the majority of the people in our hospital with COVID are in here for something else and we find they have COVID, because we test them."

'IT SCARES ME'

Collins said he is especially nervous about an RSV surge, because what many people don't realize is that it doesn't only affect young children.

"In adults over 65, it's roughly 177,000 cases in adults over 65 every year from fall to spring — 14,000 deaths over the age of 65 in the United States every year from RSV."

"It scares me."

Collins attributes the sudden rise in RSV cases, as well as the expected rise in flu cases, to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We've had two years where people have been wearing personal protective equipment — masking — and it really cut down on our influenza season over the last two years in the United States and everywhere else," he said.

"The real reason people think this is happening for both influenza and RSV is the fact that we had such success at controlling them over the past couple years that our population lacked the normal immunity that we would normally have in the population.

"And so they talk about an immunity gap. That's what people like to call it."

IMMUNITY GAP

That "immunity gap" can somewhat be fixed, he said.

"I think the best offense in this case is a good defense, and the best defense is the vaccine, for both COVID and flu."

"If there's one thing we can do in this community, to help ourselves, is to get those vaccines that we should be getting for both influenza and for COVID. and with RSV, it's just a matter of trying, if you think you're going to be around someone sick, you should mask up, or if you're at risk yourself of getting really sick, then you should still mask in public."

Debra Tackett, Director of Health Care Services at the Clinton County Health Department couldn't speak much to RSV, but noted a reported widespread increase in flu cases across the state.

"From the report on Oct. 15, New York state reported a 49% increase over the week before. Hospitalizations in the state are also on the upward trend," she said.

GET VACCINATED

Locally, though, flu cases don't seem to be increasing just yet, she said, but getting vaccinated remains the best form of prevention available.

"It looked like our numbers in Clinton County went down from one week over the next (weeks of Oct. 8 and Oct. 15)."

"The good news is that all of the preventive measures we have been taking for COVID-19 will do the same to stop the spread of the flu and RSV. It is also a great reminder to schedule your flu shot if you haven't already."

Email: cnewton@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: CarlySNewton