‘Triple threat’ respiratory season approaches in Illinois as COVID hospitalizations rise

While COVID-19 hospitalizations are up in Illinois, health care professionals are also preparing for an increase in respiratory syncytial virus spread as the country grapples with a shortage of an antibody designed to protect infants against RSV.

Illinois saw a 13% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations for the week ending Oct. 28, the state health department reported Nov. 8, and 10 counties are at a medium level for COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Fayette, Effingham, Jefferson, Wayne, Edgar, Vermilion, Iroquois, Kankakee, Stephenson and Jo Daviess counties are all at a medium level, but numbers remain below what they were in 2022.

“When you compare where we are now to this time a year ago, to our last fall season, our covid numbers, especially when it comes to total emergency department visits associated with COVID-19, are remaining low,” Dr. Vidhya Prakash, chief medical officer and associate dean of clinical affairs and population health at Southern Illinois University School of medicine, told the News-Democrat.

Officials with the Illinois Department of Public Health encourage residents to get vaccinated to protect against the season’s “triple threat” of COVID-19 and RSV and influenza. Prakash said she expects influenza activity to rise in the coming months.

“If we’re seeing an uptick in any of the respiratory viruses during this season, it’s RSV,” Prakash added.

What to know about RSV in Illinois

People older than 60 and younger than 6 months are most at risk for severe illness caused by RSV, Prakash said.

Two RSV vaccines, Arexvy and Abrysvo, are available for residents 60 years and older. Those in this age group should talk to their doctor about receiving the vaccine if they are interested, Prakash said.

Health care professionals also recommend people who are between 32 to 36 weeks pregnant during RSV season, which is September through January, to receive the Abrysvo vaccine since newborns are especially vulnerable to complications.

Initial recommendations called for infants who are born just before or during RSV season to get an antibody called nirsevimab, but limited supply has led to doctors prescribing an alternative.

“The monoclonal antibody is basically a laboratory-produced protein that boosts the immune system to protect an individual in the face of the illness,” Prakash said.

The CDC now recommends prioritizing 100 milligram doses of nirsevimab for infants at the highest risk of severe RSV illness, including those younger than 6 months old and those with underlying health conditions.

Eligible children ages 8 months to 19 months should receive a different antibody, palivizumab, according to the CDC. “Unexpected high demand” was cited as a reason for the nirsevimab shortage, Time Magazine reported Nov. 2.

More than 2 million children younger than 5 have an outpatient visit due to RSV on average each year, the CDC reports.

The federal health agency also reports RSV leads to the following outcomes on average each year:

• 58,000 to 80,000 hospitalizations among children younger than 5 years old

• 60,000 to 160,000 hospitalizations of adults age 65 or older

• 6,000 to 10,000 deaths of people age 65 and older

• 100 to 300 deaths of children younger than 5 years

How to protect yourself from respiratory viruses

Prakash recommends everyone who is eligible to receive vaccinations against COVID-19, flu and RSV do so as soon as possible.

“It’s interesting, because we finally are in a season where we have protection for all three culprits: for COVID, RSV and influenza. So it’s my sincere hope that we have people getting their vaccines, getting their children vaccinated to avoid severe disease this viral respiratory season,” Prakash said.

In addition to vaccination, mitigation strategies include frequent hand washing, Prakash said, and those experiencing symptoms such as a fever, sore throat or cough should stay home and test for COVID-19.

People who are at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness should consider wearing masks in indoor crowded situations, Prakash continued, and improving home ventilation to help mitigate disease spread.

“But of all of those, I would say vaccines are really top priority to prevent severe illness due to viral respiratory disease,” Prakash said.

In southwestern Illinois and St. Louis, COVID-19 and flu vaccines are available at many CVS and Walgreens pharmacies. The St. Clair County Public Health Department also offers vaccines.

COVID-19 shots are free under most insurance plans, and the federal government’s Bridge Access program provides free COVID-19 vaccines to people who do not have health insurance. The program will end by Dec. 31, 2024, according to the CDC.