U of M Expert Alert: Fall respiratory illnesses
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (09/18/2023) — The transition of seasons from summer to fall coincides with the annual resurgence of respiratory illnesses. Health officials across the United States are preparing for an uptick in flu, RSV and COVID-19 cases.
Jill Foster with the University of Minnesota Medical School and M Health Fairview talks about the fall respiratory illness season and how to stay healthy.
Jill Foster, MD
“The past few falls and winters have taught us that our previous patterns of respiratory illnesses aren’t following the rules. We had a very early and severe RSV and flu season that caught many people by surprise. The best defense in all of these situations is to be as prepared as possible and the best preparation is through vaccination for flu, the updated COVID-19 booster and the new RSV vaccines for those who are eligible. ”
“It’s hard to differentiate the various respiratory viruses. Typically, the common cold is the least severe. You’ll have a runny nose, a low-grade fever, some aches and pains and generally will start to feel better after a couple of days. Influenza comes on suddenly with higher fever and coughing as the more prominent symptoms. You may also feel miserable and ache all over. Flu usually lasts longer than a cold—from a week to 10 days of feeling ill. Influenza also has a higher chance of developing into pneumonia and then needing hospitalization. COVID can be tricky because it can have no symptoms, seem like a cold or land you in the hospital on a ventilator. It is much more unpredictable and just because you have a mild case doesn’t mean you can’t spread it to someone else who will be hospitalized.”
“All of the things that we learned more about in the early days of COVID-19 are useful in preventing infection from any respiratory virus: Handwashing and good hand hygiene, wearing masks and being aware of the air ventilation in rooms.”
Jill Foster, MD, is a professor of pediatrics in the University of Minnesota Medical School and pediatric infectious diseases physician with M Health Fairview. Her expertise is in prevention and treatment of viral diseases, and in mobilizing public health and healthcare systems in the areas of prevention and screening.
Contact
Jill Foster
Professor at the U of M Medical School
Contact: mednews@umn.edu
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Track the latest flu activity through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. The University of Minnesota reports COVID-19 wastewater levels online.
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