COVID-19 on rise as summer viruses spread
Even with the summer heat in full swing, cold and flu-like illnesses haven’t taken a break. While overall respiratory illness remains low in the U.S., COVID-19 is trending up in parts of the country, according to new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Emergency department visits for COVID-19 have increased across all age groups, especially in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, South and West Coast regions, the Associated Press reported.
Although flu cases are declining and RSV levels are steady, other summer bugs are also circulating. These include hand, foot and mouth disease, which brings cold-like symptoms plus rashes, and norovirus, often dubbed the “stomach flu.”
Experts said that while respiratory viruses tend to thrive in cooler months, summer does not guarantee immunity.
“A lot of people get sick in the summer here. Why is that? Because you spend more time indoors,” said Frank LoVecchio, M.D., an ER physician and researcher at Arizona State University.
As temperatures rise, people retreat into air-conditioned indoor spaces, which is where viruses can spread more easily.
Most healthy individuals may want to wait until fall for COVID-19 boosters, when virus levels typically increase. But those with higher risk — including older adults and the immunocompromised — should consult their doctors, according to the Associated Press.
Read more: Associated Press
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