SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento County’s COVID-19 community transmission level recently increased from low to medium, triggering mask requirements for shelters and correctional facilities. Health officials are also suggesting everyone consider wearing a mask indoors in public places.
Health officials at UC Davis Health believe Sacramento is at the peak for RSV cases in children but note a rapid rise in influenza cases and a gradual rise of COVID-19.
Dr. Dean Blumberg, Professor Chief Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Health, compares this winter respiratory illness season with those from the past.
“RSV and influenza it’s much worse than any year in the past five years. There’s no question about that,” said Blumberg.
Models suggest COVID-19 will be less severe than the past two winters.
But UC Davis Pediatrics is still having to get creative with creating space for patients by communicating with the county and other hospitals.
In a statement from Dr. Jeffrey Silvers, medical director of pharmacy and infection control at Sutter Health:
“Across the Sutter network, our teams continue to care for patients with COVID-19 as well as patients with common respiratory viruses, such as RSV and flu. Hospital leaders are coordinating response efforts to help meet the care needs of each community. During this holiday season, it’s especially important to get available vaccines, such as the flu shot and COVID-19 bivalent vaccine/booster. Simple things like frequent hand washing, considering whether to mask indoors and staying home while sick with mild symptoms can help prevent spreading germs and slow this surge in respiratory viruses.”
While it is a scary time for parents, the CDC hopes parents can perform at home care for a cough and low grade fever. Blumberg says when sick children stop eating or drinking that’s one of the first signs to bring them in to professionals.
“Children who are turning blue around the lips, breathing very rapidly or breathing so hard you can see their neck muscles or ribs sticking out are children who need to be seen,” said Blumberg.
There is such a demand for care right now that UC Davis Health is piloting a special evening clinic just this week for people coming in with less severe respiratory illness. It’s for those that don’t need to be admitted in an attempt to relieve some pressure on the ER.
The CDC currently has California’s flu activity listed as ‘very high’ which is most extreme designation.
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