As winter weather grips the First State, hospitals are preparing for the traditional onslaught of respiratory viruses.
Those viruses - like colds, flu, and COVID - regularly appear at emergency rooms, urgent care centers, and doctors’ offices this time of year. Megan McNamara Williams is Vice President of Clinical Affairs & Operations for the Delaware Healthcare Association. She says hospitals have prepared for months to serve a rising caseload.
“The long range plan really begins every summer, in advance," she said. "And that has to do with vaccination, in particular with flu vaccination and certainly the COVID vaccination and now the RSV vaccination for those folks that are appropriate for that.”
She adds health care providers also stocked up on medicine and supplies and adjusted staffing to manage rising caseloads.
Williams also notes the state is seeing rising cases of norovirus, a stomach bug that can complicate cases of respiratory viruses.
“We are seeing more community acquired norovirus right now, and so if your immune system is busy fighting off the norovirus and you come in contact with flu or Covid or RSV, you're going to be more vulnerable to acquiring that as well," she said
Handwashing, wearing a mask, and staying home if you’re sick are good ways to avoid all kinds of viruses, and McNamara Williams adds, it’s never too late to get flu, COVID, and RSV vaccines.
