Protection from a possible ‘Tripledemic’ during the winter

Health experts in 2021, gave a warning about potential ‘twindemic’, cases of Covid and the flu rising during the winter.

As families prepare for the holidays in 2022, the threat has escalated and evolved into a potential ‘tripledemic’.

A ‘twindemic’ is when two different viruses spread simultaneously, while a ‘tripledemic’ would involve three.

Infants and young children going to daycare, preschool, or grade school will be around plenty of different people allowing diseases to spread more easily.

Dr. Vandana Madhavan specializes in pediatric infectious diseases at Mass General Hospital.

She spoke with WINK News about what could happen in winter.

“Remember, also, they’ve had two plus years where they haven’t had that ongoing exposure to this virus and that virus, their immune systems are not on that same level of constant vigilance,” Dr. Madhavan said.

Kids could use the added virus protection such as the updated Covid boosters.

That updated Covid booster shot became available for kids between 5 and 11 years old in mid-October.

“This booster not only continues to protect against the original SARS-Co-2 virus, the virus that causes Covid-19 but has a specific component that helps protect against Omicron,” Dr. Madhavan said.

Dr. Madhavan said parents should also make sure everyone in the family is vaccinated against the flu.

“In many years, we see two different peaks of influenza,” Dr. Madhavan said.

She explained, kids can get their Covid booster and flu shot during the same visit.

And, if you haven’t gotten it done and think it’s too late, according to Dr. Madhavan, it isn’t.

There are no approved vaccines available for RSV, which spreads by touching an infected person.

So, it’s imperative to avoid contact with anyone showing symptoms such as a runny nose or a cough.

Lastly, since the flu shot may take up to two weeks before it protects against the virus, getting a flu shot soon may ease the pain of a possible springtime surge.