Article Content

Triple threat of respiratory viruses this winter. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert last November as respiratory viruses surged across the country. Concerns about a triple threat of COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza intensified as the incidence of RSV and influenza began to increase early this year. Rates of RSV had reached peak levels in November, months earlier than usual. Influenza rates were also higher than usual during that period. The CDC expects cases of COVID-19 to rise again this winter, as it has since the pandemic began in 2020. Nurses should encourage people to get the recommended vaccinations and use the personal protective measures put in place for COVID-19: frequent handwashing; wearing a face mask, particularly indoors and in crowds; and isolating from others if they have symptoms of a respiratory illness.