(SEATTLE) A mix of colds, flu, RSV, and COVID have health officials warning us once again about gathering with family.
“I am very alarmed by the increases in respiratory infections that we’re already seeing this season,” says Doctor Eric Chow of the Seattle/King County Health Department.
While COVID numbers aren’t anywhere near the levels experienced earlier this year, the virus is making a comeback. That. combined with the flu has Chow advising a serious consideration before gathering at the table Thursday.
“If you don’t feel well on the day that you plan to gather with other people, then you isolate yourself from other people,” Chow advises. “Becasue what might be a mild infection for you, may not be a mild infection for other people there.”
Emergency rooms across the Northwest are overrun with people, and waits for 6 hours or more is common. An uptick in RSV and COVID is sending more and more people to urgent care and hospitals right now. And it’s so bad in parts of Canada, Doctor Fahad Razak wants mask requirements to return.
“For those of us advocating for a mandate, it’s because the crisis is here now, and we need to attempt to do whatever we can now to mitigate the spread,” Razak says.
As of now, mask wearing is strongly suggested both there, and around here. He says the goal is to get as many people back in masks right now, because that’s the only way to ease the pressure on local urgent care centers and emergency rooms.
