[New York Diary] Triple-demic Warning in the U.S.... Masks Are Out Again

Triple Pandemic Warnings in the U.S.
COVID-19, RSV, and Flu Cases Surge Ahead of Year-End Holidays

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] I recently took out a mask that I hadn’t used for a while. It’s not just because the biting wind in the Manhattan building forest has become harsher. Since December, the number of sick people around me has rapidly increased.

A friend who used to boast about never catching a cold in Korea suffered with a fever over 39 degrees Celsius for a whole week. A New Yorker friend who suddenly canceled a same-day appointment later apologized with a message saying, “I’ve never been this sick before. If you haven’t gotten the flu shot, go to CVS (drugstore) immediately.” There are quite a few acquaintances who have been reinfected with COVID-19.

Recently, in the U.S., there have been increasing warnings about the so-called ‘Triple Pandemic.’ COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, and influenza (flu) are all spreading simultaneously. Just looking at a few acquaintances and their surroundings, this situation is clearly felt. As a result, some health authorities, including New York State, announced new recommendations last week regarding mask-wearing. They advised wearing masks again indoors, such as in schools. The U.S. federal government also decided to resume free distribution of COVID-19 self-test kits, which had been halted since September. Free COVID-19 testing will also be resumed in various places.

According to The New York Times (NYT) data as of the 15th, COVID-19 cases in the U.S. increased by 33% compared to two weeks earlier. Hospitalization rates rose by 18%, and deaths surged by 50%. The NYT reported, “Since the beginning of this month, all indicators nationwide have worsened significantly.” The recent sharp increase in cases in the U.S. appears to be linked to the Thanksgiving holiday at the end of last month, when there were many gatherings and travels.

Additionally, this year’s flu season is progressing faster than usual. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that flu cases this season have already surpassed 13 million. Hospitalizations reached 120,000, and deaths totaled 7,300. Especially this year, the flu spread earlier than usual, raising concerns among experts that it could be the worst flu season in 13 years. Although RSV has recently started to decline, the CDC pointed out that its nationwide infection rate remains high.

To be honest, I had thought, “No way, I won’t catch it,” despite the continuous news of COVID-19 reinfections and flu around me. Even when I wore a mask and went out due to unnecessary worries, I often forgot about it and took it off while running errands. Life without a mask had become so natural over the past few months. Unlike when COVID-19 was spreading rapidly, I didn’t strictly maintain personal hygiene. I repeatedly made and canceled appointments for booster shots and flu shots, using work busyness as an excuse. And it seems that the gap of that “no way” was wider than I thought for the virus to invade. Last week, I had to suffer from fever, persistent cough, and body aches for several days.

The year-end and New Year holidays are especially times of frequent gatherings and travel. Although the fatality rate of COVID-19 has significantly decreased, the end of the pandemic is still not in sight. Above all, when multiple infectious diseases spread simultaneously like this, the healthcare system inevitably faces burdens.

Even in New York alone, hospitals are again filled with patients suffering from respiratory diseases, the number of pediatric emergency rooms is rapidly decreasing, and local media reports are flooding with news that some medicines are unavailable. This is why the warning from Ashish Jha, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, that “we do not want this winter to be like last year or the winter before” cannot be easily ignored.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.