COVID, flu and allergies collide in Texas
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The germs that spread over the holidays are still making their rounds, leaving many illness-ridden Texans to wonder, "Is it COVID, flu or allergies?"
Why it matters: Several respiratory illnesses are making the rounds simultaneously this season, including colds, flu, COVID and even cedar fever.
- Because they share symptoms of sore throat, runny nose, itchy eyes, headaches and fatigue, it can be difficult to diagnose which is the culprit.
What's happening: COVID, flu and RSV have been on the rise statewide in recent months.
- About half of states, including Texas, were reporting "very high" flu activity as of Dec. 30, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
- The percentage of positive flu tests in Texas clinical laboratories was nearly 23% as of Dec. 30, per the agency.
Plus: Texas is also about to hit peak cedar allergy season this month.
State of play: Harris County's COVID data hub shows levels as remaining low, though wastewater surveillance shows a slight increase from late December to early January.
Threat level: Data on the Harris County uptake of the most recent booster isn't available, but only 10% of residents had the booster that became available in 2022, per CDC data analyzed by the New York Times.
Zoom out: The agency estimates that between 10 million and 19 million Americans have had the flu this season, and 110,000 to 230,000 people have been hospitalized because of the illness.
- Almost 32 million flu cases were estimated in the 2022-2023 season.
Be smart: It's not too late to get a flu or COVID vaccine to protect yourself against serious illness and complications.
- Check the expiration date of your at-home COVID tests before using them, and order more free ones from the government if needed.
- If you're prone to allergies, Texas A&M Forest Service's Jonathan Motsinger recommends taking your allergy medicine daily this winter.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to attribute to the county the data on COVID levels remaining low.