The holidays are upon us and so are some unwelcome guests: COVID-19, the flu and the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV are all circulating this season in what Dr. Philip Chan, a medical director for the Rhode Island Department of Health, calls a “tripledemic.” He talked with Health Reporter Lynn Arditi about the viruses and what to do to try and avoid catching them.
(This transcript has been edited.)
Lynn Arditi: Dr. Chan, so the best real time data we have about COVID cases comes from monitoring wastewater. What does Rhode Island’s wastewater data tell us about what’s going on with COVID in Rhode Island and other parts of the country?
Dr. Philip Chan: The data is telling us that we are seeing an increase, unfortunately, in COVID 19 cases. So this is something that’s expected. Our modeling experts here at the Department of Health have been predicting a slight uptick during this Christmas and winter season.
Arditi: So when you say a slight uptick, how does it compare to say what it was last time this year?
Chan: Nowhere near as high as it was in the past, and certainly a year ago. It has increased. The good news, though, is that we are seeing still not an increase, still low levels of both hospitalizations and deaths here in the state of Rhode Island.
Arditi: So if you test positive for COVID, the CDC says stay home and isolate for at least five days. But what if you’re not feeling sick, and you have plans to visit your family for the holidays? What do you do?
Chan: So we still recommend that folks isolate. One thing that we’ve learned, of course, during the course of the pandemic is that people can transmit COVID even if they have no symptoms. And I’m reminded a lot of people during the holidays are going home to visit people that may be more vulnerable and may be at risk of getting much sicker with COVID – grandparents, older adults, people that may be immunocompromised. So I would still adhere to the isolation guidelines of five days, even if you have minimal or no symptoms.
Arditi: And after five days, then what?
Chan: I would be more careful. I would continue to mask for a couple more days. Certainly if you have some symptoms that are resolving. And I would still probably until your symptoms resolve or are almost gone. I would continue to stay away from those that may be at especially high risk of COVID older adults, people that may be immunocompromised, etc.
Arditi: We’re seeing an awful lot of people getting sick, but testing negative for COVID. What do you advise people to do to just stay healthy during the holidays?
Chan: We’ve continued to see the ‘tripledemic’ of COVID, RSV and influenza viruses circulate. We know that RSV has been peeking. We know that flu is on the uptick as well, along with COVID. And also I will mention too, that there’s a number of other respiratory viruses that aren’t routinely captured as well. I think the biggest thing is for people to be vaccinated. So if you have not gotten the COVID vaccine yet for this season, get that. If you’ve not gotten the influenza vaccine yet, get that. And now there’s also a RSV vaccine for folks that are 60 years of age and older. I think that that’s [the] most important thing, as well as continuing to stay home and away from others if you’re sick.
Arditi: So with all the illnesses going around–not just COVID–should we be masking again in public?
Chan: You know, I don’t think so. I mean, we’re trying to get back to normal here. And I think especially with the vaccines, and especially with the current number of people that have been infected to have some degree of immunity against COVID, I don’t think that we’re at a point nor will be in the future where we need to routinely mask in public settings. I will say I do think that that differs a little bit in healthcare settings and in settings where you’re routinely caring for or engaging with people that may be immunocompromised, I think in some of these higher risk settings. When we are peaking with things like COVID and flu, it could make sense, depending on the organization of the setting to mask in some of those high risk settings.
Flu, COVID and RSV vaccines are available at pharmacies – CVS, Walgreens, Stop & Shop, Green Line Apothecary – community health centers and some doctor’s offices. For more information visit vaccine.gov.
Health reporter Lynn Arditi can be reached at larditi@thepublicsradio.org.
