Are you going to visit your family on holiday? How to stay safe amid rising cases of COVID, flu and RSV – National

Compared to previous years when quality in-person time with loved ones was limited or canceled due to COVID-19 lockdowns, it has become a lot like Christmas in Canada. ) and the flu mix with COVID, health experts are urging Canadians to take protective measures amid festivities.

Isaac Bogotch, an infectious disease specialist in Toronto, said: “We really hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful and relaxing holiday season, but we know there are a lot of viruses out there, and we need to reduce the risk of infection. We also need to keep in mind that there are steps we can take to help.” General Hospital told Global News on Saturday.

early this month, The Pan American Health Organization said on its website that all the Americas, including Canada, face a “triple threat” of respiratory illness from COVID-19, RSV and influenza, with all countries on “alert”. said it should.

This wave of illness from COVID-19, RSV, and influenza has forced hospitals across Canada, especially pediatric emergency departments, to cancel non-urgent surgeries, as demonstrated by recent weekly flu reports. indicates that

Health experts and public health officials continue to urge Canadians to get vaccinated and wear masks when necessary.

“People will be traveling during the holiday season … and wearing a mask to reduce the risk of infection is absolutely essential if you are on a plane, on a bus, or in public places indoors. I think it makes sense, of course, to reduce the risk of infecting other people,” Bogotsch said.

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Teresa Tam, also urged Canadians to take important protective measures such as washing their hands frequently, wearing appropriate masks, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home if they are unwell. I’m looking for

“As long as influenza RSV, COVID, and other respiratory viruses continue to co-circulate at high levels, it is likely that one or more of these viruses will be encountered when interacting with others in school, work, or social settings. more sexually, especially indoors,” says Dr. Tam. sHelp address reporters in Friday’s Public Health Update.

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“And if masks aren’t being worn, it makes sense for the time being to dial up vaccines and implement practices to increase levels of protection, especially in light of a highly stretched health system.,” she added.

read more: Canadian Academy of Pediatrics urges families to get flu shots ‘as soon as possible’

In Canada, COVID-19 restrictions such as mandatory indoor mask wearing and physical distancing are virtually non-existent. Over the past year, as COVID-19 levels eased, governments lifted mandates and shifted messages to urge people to stay protected.

The state’s chief medical and health officer has not taken steps to restore the mandate as the virus continues to spread, but many are encouraging people to wear masks indoors.

Bogoch said it’s important to stay up to date on flu and COVID-19 vaccinations. As well as being mindful of the people you interact with during the holiday season, he added.

“Some people may be at higher risk for more serious consequences if they get COVID, flu or RSV,” Bogoch said.

He explains that a virus like the flu can affect everyone, but the youngest, oldest, and those with underlying medical conditions are more likely to end up in the hospital.

“Certainly, we are seeing it now … I work in an adult hospital and I absolutely see cases of flu in the adult population,” Bogotsch said.

PHAC said in its latest respiratory virus report, influenza and RSV are still “on the rise,” with Canada having the highest number of reported cases of influenza.

According to the report, influenza activity “is well above expectations for this time of year and continues to increase (5,876 detections, 19.2% positive)” (as of 19 November).

So far, the majority of influenza cases detected and tested in laboratories this year have been caused by a strain of influenza A virus known as H3N2. According to his FluWatch data, which PHAC releases weekly, a very small percentage of only 3% to date has been the influenza A strain known as H1N1.

Both of these strains are in this year’s flu vaccine, which includes two isolates of the influenza B virus, which is good news, according to Matthew Miller, director of the Michael G. DeGroot Institute for Infectious Diseases at McMaster University. and bad news for Canadians.

“The good news is that the vaccine is a good fit. The bad news is that the H3N2 strain tends to cause more severe infections than the H1N1 strain,” Miller told Global News on Wednesday.

Dr. Tam also said the vaccine works well with circulating influenza strains. She said it was an “important base of protection.”

Bogotsch agrees. The vaccine is “not perfect,” he said, but it will go a long way in protecting Canadians from the flu.

“We are more concerned with risk mitigation than risk elimination,” said Bogoch.

— Using files by Teresa Wright, Heidi Lee, and Aaron D’Andrea

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