GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – The winter virus season is here and it’s not just a concern for kids, but the elderly population as well.
In Wisconsin, there are three viruses circulating right now – Covid-19, Influenza and RSV.
While there is an increase in covid-19 and flu cases, RSV continues to be the main concern.
“Usually, a typical healthy person has mild cold symptoms, runny nose, sore throat, fever, lasts seven to 10 days, maybe a little bit longer. But as we get older or people have other medical conditions, it does take a toll on their body,” said Dr. Mark Cockley, Chief Clinical Officer at ThedaCare. “So, if they have heart disease, lung disease, COPD, asthma or an immune system that can’t fight off the virus as well, it can cause more severe symptoms for them and result in hospitalization.”
Dr. Cockley said when gathering with family for Thanksgiving, stick to the basics of prevention: wash your hands, don’t kiss the baby, wear a mask, stay home when sick and get tested so you know which virus you have and how to prevent it from spreading to others.
“The other thing you can do though to help reduce your risk of one of the three is getting your flu shot. getting influenza vaccination can significantly reduce your risk of getting influenza or severe disease from that. So that’s one thing to do, in addition to your hand washing, masking, and avoiding exposures,” said Dr. Cockley.
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