SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

The U.S. is in full-on respiration virus season. Many of the nation is experiencing top or very top respiration virus ranges, in line with the facilities for Illness Regulate and Prevention. NPR well being correspondent Pien Huang joins us. Pien, thank you such a lot for being with us.

PIEN HUANG, BYLINE: Thank you for having me.

SIMON: (Imitating coughing) Excuse me. What is in the market?

HUANG: Smartly, there’s a lot – numerous virus in the market, Scott. We’re, as you discussed, within the thick of wintry weather respiration virus season. So there may be RSV. There may be flu. There may be COVID. There may be commonplace chilly viruses. And so they all get a spice up all through the vacations when other people trip and accumulate. I talked to Amy Kirby, who runs the Nationwide Wastewater Surveillance program at CDC, and she or he says, should you have a look at the wastewater knowledge, COVID ranges presently are even upper than they have been remaining season. However nonetheless, she says…

AMY KIRBY: We’re nonetheless very a ways under the degrees that we have been seeing in 2022 with the omicron top. So we aren’t having a look at that roughly, you understand, in point of fact huge wave of infections. That is a lot more on par with what we noticed remaining yr.

HUANG: And although the extent of COVID is upper than it used to be remaining yr presently, different COVID metrics, like ER visits and hospitalization charges, the ones are decrease this yr, the CDC says.

SIMON: Does that imply we are converting what I will confer with as our courting with COVID?

HUANG: In some senses, sure. I imply, what it approach presently is that COVID infections are inflicting severe illness much less incessantly than they did in earlier years. However COVID nonetheless is probably the most severe virus presently. Closing week, as an example, it put 35,000 new other people within the health facility. A minimum of 1,200 other people died from it. And that’s much more than flu. Thus far this season, health facility capability has been usually strong, which is excellent news as a result of that implies that individuals who want care can usually get it.

SIMON: What in regards to the new COVID variants although?

HUANG: OK. So the dominant variant presently is one referred to as JN.1 Right here within the U.S., it used to be first detected in September, and by means of Thanksgiving it used to be answerable for round 8% of U.S. circumstances. Now it is as much as 60%. And JN.1 is regarded as an omicron variant, although there may be been some debate over whether or not it merits its personal Greek letter because it has numerous genetic variations. However the signs are about the similar. And the exams, the vaccines and the remedies that we lately have do paintings in opposition to it.

SIMON: What must other people be doing now, given all of this?

HUANG: Smartly, public well being officers are in point of fact leaning into encouraging other people to make use of the equipment we have now. In order that begins with consciousness. You recognize, there are maps that the CDC and native well being departments are striking out that may lend a hand other people determine how a lot virus is circulating the place they reside, and it isn’t too past due to get vaccinated. You recognize, part people adults have now not gotten a flu shot this season. 4 out of 5 have not gotten the COVID booster. And that is particularly essential for older adults who’re at upper chance of demise from those diseases. And finally, in case you are in poor health, like numerous persons are presently, the recommendation is to stick house so you do not unfold it on. Get examined in the event you qualify for some prescription drugs that mean you can recuperate, and to usually simply take just right care of your self and the folks round you’re.

SIMON: Thank you very a lot. NPR well being correspondent Pien Huang.

HUANG: You might be welcome, Scott.

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