CLEVELAND — Holiday festivities just wrapped up, and if it seems like everyone around you is under the weather, chances are, you're right.
Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist at Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Frank Esper, says a post-holiday COVID-19 spike alongside upticks of the usual winter illnesses, like flu and RSV, make this surge "very much expected," and right now, we are at the peak of RSV season.
SHOULD I MASK UP?
While the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization did not recommend that we all wear masks, Dr. Esper advises masking up this winter season could keep you and your loved ones healthy. Health experts have noticed a dip in respiratory illnesses with masks.
"We do know that when you're trying to protect yourself against one virus, you have a tendency to protect yourself against a bunch of others. " Dr. Esper said. "They all use the same way to cause infection; they're trying to get into your nose and the back of your throat. That's where they start their invasion."
While masks are not mandated, health experts say they help prevent infection and the spread of illness.
RISE IN STREP CASES
Dr. Esper says though the number of respiratory illnesses this season is not as high as in the past, there's one disease that doctors are seeing more of -- strep.
Both the CDC and WHO report strep has been extremely aggressive this season. Strep is dangerous and can lead to a severe invasive disease if it goes untreated. It is more aggressive than other respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, flu and RSV. That's because it's a bacteria, not a virus.
Dr. Esper says he's seen strep cases rise beginning late last year.
"Strep is bigger, much more dangerous than a lot of these viruses, pound for pound. And so, when we see someone with strep, they need antibiotics. When you see someone with RSV, there's no antibiotic for viruses. But for strep, you definitely need antibiotics because that can be very dangerous. And yes, it has been more dangerous this year than in the past."
So, how long can we expect this year's sick season to last? Dr. Esper says the viruses will likely stick around until the end of March or early April.
