DALLAS — As families gather for Thanksgiving this year, doctors are advising North Texans to be aware of several illnesses that are spreading around the region.
“There’s lots of viruses out there right now," Dr. David Winter with Baylor Scott & White Health told WFAA. "A lot of that's the common cold, but you can't really tell the difference, and we can't from COVID. So, I encourage people to get a COVID test because the treatment is entirely different.”
Rhinovirus is the main virus that causes the common cold, and numbers are up across North Texas, as well as RSV.
Children's Health and UT Southwestern Pediatric Pulmonologist, Dr. Preeti Sharma, explained RSV is “a very common respiratory virus that for, for many people is kind of a nagging cold. But for older adults, people who have a weakened immune system and infants, it can be much more complicated.”
“It's a horrible disease for kids, particularly under age 2," Winter said. "And the children's hospitals are full. I just looked at that and they're full of these cases.”
During the week of Nov. 17, Children’s Health saw 454 RSV cases and 512 rhinovirus cases. Cook Children’s saw 324 RSV cases and 108 rhinovirus cases, along with 121 cases of mycoplasma pneumonia.
When asked what steps to take if you have concerns you may have any illness, Sharma said “I think anybody who has symptoms of an illness, whether that's low grade fever, sore throat, runny nose cough, you could be contagious with whichever viral illness, is going around at the time. And so really kind of re-evaluating whether or not you're going to be in contact with people who may have complications from that illness. Trying to stay away if you are sick covering your cough, lots of hand washing and if feasible, wear a mask in a gathering, so you're not potentially passing that virus from one person to the next.”
Another primary question is when to seek out additional care.
“If at any time your child has difficulties breathing, feel short of breath, is not eating and drinking, particularly drinking enough to maintain their hydration, then that's a reason to have them seen," Sharma said.
If you’re wondering whether to get your flu or COVID vaccine, Winter said it’s not too late.
“Especially for the flu, it’s not too late at all," he said. "The sooner you get it the better, because a big flu season could be just around the corner, and COVID. Now to be clear, the last seven mutations of COVID have been mild... But the next mutation could be a bad one.”