Respiratory illnesses on the rise in Colorado
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Now might be a good time to stock up on tissues, cough drops and cold medicine.
Threat level: Virus activity — like COVID-19, RSV and the flu — is creeping back up in Colorado, and indoor holiday gatherings are expected to fuel a spike in cases nationwide.
- Meanwhile, vaccination rates are lagging, and half of U.S. adults are no longer taking precautions like mask-wearing to prevent COVID infections, per a new poll from KFF.
Why it matters: Medical experts worry hospitals could be pushed to the brink again this winter.
By the numbers: As of Wednesday, there were 267 people hospitalized in Colorado for COVID — the third-highest number the state has seen all year — though well below the all-time peak of 1,847 people in December 2020.
- RSV and flu hospitalizations have also trended up in recent weeks.
What's next: State health officials are launching a new campaign to help ramp up immunization rates for all three illnesses.
Of note: Colorado Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera led a roundtable discussion Wednesday with COVID patients and health care providers to discuss the impacts of long COVID and what steps are being taken to tackle the disease.
- Researchers estimate roughly between 250,000 to 600,000 Coloradans are battling long COVID, CPR reports.
Be smart: Every home in the U.S. can order free at-home COVID tests from the federal government.