SAN DIEGO — Flu season usually ramps up in the fall and winter, yet now San Diego County deals with cases of RSV and COVID-19.
"Certainly, influenza and RSV are high. Typically in the winter, you see a lot of RSV," said Dr. Keith Yablonicky, who works in the Emergency Room at Sharp Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Yablonicky sees 6 to 10 patients with RSV per day and ten patients with flu per day in urgent care, which he said is an influx but typical for this time of year.
"It's par for the course with influenza. As a medical professional, it's nice to see more normalcy. It's not great. People die of influenza, but it's something we're experienced with," said Dr. Yablonicky.
Dr. Yablonicky said upper respiratory infections make up 25% of the patient visits, which are evenly divided between RSV, flu, and COVID-19.
"Most people with the flu have a high-grade fever, either 102 or 103. Covid and RSV have low-grade fevers, 99 and 100," said Dr. Yablonicky.
To avoid urgent care, he wants to remind everyone to take Vitamin C, exercise regularly, and eat fruits and veggies. But if you end up in the emergency room, local hospitals are well prepared.
"I think the hospitals in San Diego have learned a lot from COVID-19 and can be flexible with these influxes. We are better off than we were several years ago. But, there are silver linings to that with COVID-19 and how to adjust more rapidly," said Dr. Yablonicky.
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