Why RSV, flu could spoil your Christmas in the CSRA
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - We’re now less than one week away from Christmas.
While that means unwrapping gifts and family time for many people, it also means potential exposure to illnesses that tend to spike this time of year.
That can come from being in large crowds while doing some last-minute shopping, going to a Christmas party or simply just being with a large family.
Pediatricians’ offices and hospitals in the CSRA have been slammed over the past month with an array of patients suffering respiratory bugs like RTSV and the flu.
Experts say more children under age 4 are coming down with RSV and are being hospitalized because of it.
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One mom is warning people about how bad the virus can get. Her daughter had it in 2019.
“She was laid down for a nap in her bassinet for about 15 minutes and when I went to check on her, she was completely gray, lifeless not breathing. That was the worst moment of my life,” said Lisa Rainwater.
Health officials at MCG say RSV alone is on the downward fall, with less cases in December than in November, about half as many.
In November, about 20% of people were testing positive.
“There were quite a few cases throughout Georgia and that includes here in Richmond County the second half of October and the month of November, but now in December, it seems like they’re substantially less,” said Dr. Rodger Macarthur with MCG.
This month, it’s down to about 10% of people testing positive, but doctors say you should still take precautions especially if you’re elderly or have an infant.
“Wear a mask when they go out to the shopping malls or avoid the shopping malls altogether,” said Macarthur.
Rainwater says she’ll continue to advocate for boundaries when it comes to the virus, most importantly during the holidays.
“I always encourage my friends who are having babies not to be scared to tell someone they can’t hold the baby or they can’t kiss them. It’s okay to hurt people’s feelings a little bit if it means protecting your babies,” said Rainwater.
Experts aren’t sure if numbers will stay down but will continue to monitor them.
In Georgia and South Carolina, respiratory syncytial virus numbers seem to have peaked about a month ago, but they’re still drastically higher than during the summer months.
Flu is another story. The numbers have been climbing in both states, and South Carolina is one of two states that are at the upper level of “very high,” the highest level on the charts. The other state at the upper end of “very high” is Louisiana.
Georgia, meanwhile is three notches below that, at the upper end of the “high” rating. Still, that’s very elevated compared to states with “minimal” cases, like Minnesota and Oklahoma.
Doctors say your best protection is vaccination, even if it’s not perfect.
“Vaccination does not necessarily protect you. It’s not magic. It doesn’t necessarily keep the disease away, but if you get the disease, it allows your body to fight it off so much more effectively,” said Dr. Robert Oliverio at Roper St. Francis Healthcare in South Carolina.
He said these viruses also can be a risk for people of older age, but especially people with other medical conditions such as heart problems, diabetes, emphysema, lung problems, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
He said if you are worried about getting the diseases, you should avoid large gatherings because viral infections are normally transferred in the air through respiratory droplets.
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