The calendar is approaching what doctors have traditionally called “flu season.”
But with COVID-19 and RSV comfortably in the mix and cases trending upward, Monroe County Public Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Mendoza said it’s better to think of this time of year as “respiratory virus season.”
“All three of these illnesses can cause very severe disease,” Mendoza said Wednesday. “And we know that when they’re all circulating at once, as they did last year, they can place a very significant strain on our community.”
Mendoza spoke at the Rochester Academy of Medicine, where he was joined by the chief medical officers of three of the region’s largest health systems — University of Rochester Medicine, Rochester Regional Health, and Jordan Health — to convey a united plea to the public: Get vaccinated.
After two years of relatively low flu infections, which infectious disease experts have attributed to pandemic precautions like social distancing and masking, the flu came roaring back last year.
Then respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, surged over the winter. Many doctors said the season was one of the worst in recent memory for the illness.
At the news conference on Wednesday, the health care leaders said local cases of all three illnesses were increasing but within their seasonal patterns, and implored eligible residents to take precautions.
“Please, please protect yourself against flu, COVID-19, and, if eligible, RSV,” Mendoza said. “And please do so now.”
Dr. Michael Apostolakos, the chief medical officer at University of Rochester Medical Center, said Strong Memorial Hospital admitted 320 patients last year with flu. Getting vaccinated, he said, can reduce the burden on overburdened hospitals.
“I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone here that the health care systems remain extremely stressed with patients,” Apostolakos said. “Strong Memorial Hospital and Highland Hospital remain consistently over 100% occupied.”
With few exceptions, everyone ages 6 months and older is eligible for the flu and COVID-19 vaccines. The RSV vaccine is reserved for infants and adults over 60.
A new formulation of the COVID-19 vaccine, coupled with high demand, shipping delays, and a shortage of pharmacists have stymied availability of the vaccine nationwide.
Two weeks ago, Wegmans announced on signs posted around its stores that its supply of the vaccine was inconsistent, but that the company expected it to improve.
Health officials on Wednesday said vaccines for all three respiratory illnesses were well-stocked locally, and that the medicine is typically available at pharmacies, walk-in clinics, or doctors’ offices.
To learn more about the respiratory illnesses, track current cases, and find flu and COVID-19 vaccine locations, visit the Monroe County Department of Public Health’s website.