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SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns are excited to return to their Thanksgiving traditions after two years of restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic. But just because COVID-19 isn’t as widespread doesn’t mean we don’t need to take precautions.
“For the past two years, COVID was the biggest thing we feared spreading around family reunion,” said Dr. Per Gesteland, pediatric hospitalist at Primary Children’s Hospital and University of Utah Health.
This year there is less concern about COVID-19, he said, but more concern about RSV and influenza. At present, these viruses are still sending children to the hospital.
“We are surviving here,” Gesteland said, referring to the primary children’s hospital. “We were running at 95-100% capacity, and it’s definitely busy.”
We are facing a viral blizzard, he said.
Gesteland helped create high-risk hazards 20 years ago, which shows us that RSV and influenza are on the rise today in much of the state. RSV can be especially difficult for children, the elderly, and people with high-risk health conditions.
“It started in October and then really took off,” the doctor said. “The slope of our epidemic last year was a bit more gentle. This year it’s a very steep slope, which suggests very rapid transmission in our communities.”
The flu is just beginning to rise in Utah, trailing the spike in hospitalizations seen in other states.
“We expect things to get worse from now for a few more weeks before we start to see a pause in our flu activity,” Gesteland said.
In the meantime, COVID-19 still has more than 120 people hospitalized statewide.
On average, one person still dies every day from complications related to COVID-19.
“COVID is still here, and it’s still causing problems,” the doctor said.
Gatherings of healthy people should go well this holiday, he said. If you or your children are sick, stay home and avoid contact with vulnerable people. He advises washing your hands regularly and avoiding close contact with anyone coughing or sneezing.
“We’ve made a lot of progress getting people vaccinated against COVID,” Gesteland said. “So we’re all feeling a bit better, especially the vulnerable populations.”