‘Tripledemic’ Causing Higher Volume of Patients in Emergency Rooms

Emergency departments are seeing an increase in patients with flu and RSV, according to Holy Cross Health Acute Care President Dr. Louis Damiano. 

And let’s not forget COVID. So we termed this the tripledemic, because of the three different upper respiratory tract environments,” Damiano said during a media briefing Wednesday. 

He said that in July and August, most upper respiratory tract infections were due to COVID-19, but that has changed. Now, about 50% of those visits at Silver Spring and Germantown locations are RSV or flu.

“The impact on the emergency room is that the volumes are higher, and as the volumes are higher and we try and see and triage the patients, it also results in longer wait times.”

‘Tripledemic’ Causing Higher Volume of Patients in Emergency Rooms - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

Children’s hospitals call on Biden to declare emergency in response to ‘unprecedented’ RSV surge

 KEY POINTS

• The Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics told the Biden administration that “unprecedented levels” of RSV combined with increasing flu circulation are pushing some hospitals to the breaking point.
• They asked the federal government to declare an emergency to provide hospitals with added flexibility to meet the surge.
• Infants 6 months and younger are getting hospitalized with RSV at seven times the rate observed before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2018, according to CDC data.
• Biden asked to declare emergency over RSV, flu kids hospitalizations (cnbc.com)

Email from my pediatrician’s office today saying Shady Grove, Holy Cross, Suburban and Children’s ERs so full they are closed to ambulances due to surging RSV cases

Email from my pediatrician’s office today saying Shady Grove, Holy Cross, Suburban and Children’s ERs so full they are closed to ambulances due to surging RSV cases pic.twitter.com/hOs7LrMpTH

— Lindsay Watts (@LindsayAWatts) October 28, 2022

1,000 Stafford High School Students Out Sick With Flu-Like Symptoms

About 1,000 students at a high school in Stafford County, Virginia, are out sick Friday due to a widespread illness within the school, officials say.

Nearly half of the student body at Stafford High School have flu-like and gastrointestinal symptoms, a spokesperson for Stafford County Public Schools told News4.

As a result, Stafford High School has canceled all activities and athletic events through Sunday.

School officials are working with the health department to try to identify the root cause of the illness, according to the spokesperson.

There are about 2,100 students who attend Stafford High School, officials say.

1,000 Stafford High School Students Out Sick With Flu-Like Symptoms – NBC4 Washington (nbcwashington.com)

Nearing capacity, Children’s National Hospital warns of long waits for non-urgent visits

 Nearing capacity, Children’s National Hospital warns of long waits for non-urgent visits - WTOP News

Filtration, checking ventilation levels, masks, outdoor eating, and mobile vaccine clinics could help for flu, covid, and RSV.

Filtration, checking ventilation levels, masks, outdoor eating, and mobile vaccine clinics could help for flu, covid, and RSV. @Kelly4LASchools @NickMelvoinBD4 @Jackie4LAkids @ScottAtLAUSD we don’t want 1400 students out sick in just ONE school here in LA too. https://t.co/fTnZWwopgt

— LA Parents for COVID-Safe Schools (@LAParents1) October 16, 2022