CDC expects hospitalizations from respiratory viruses to increase, recommends vaccination

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Thursday that it expects the total number of hospitalizations from COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus infections and influenza to drop this year either similar to last year or higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The government health agency also said it expects flu and RSV infections to increase during the fall and winter.

Vaccines against the three major respiratory viruses – COVID-19, influenza and RSV – will be available this fall, the CDC said.

THE EARLY AND SURPRISING DECLINE OF RSV AMONG CHILDREN HAS CONCERNED HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL CENTERS

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Higher levels of vaccination among the population will help reduce the number of hospitalizations and the risk of straining the nation’s hospitals, the CDC added.

The CDC on Tuesday approved the widespread use of updated COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and partner BioNTech SE as well as Moderna – covering ages 6 months and older – as the country prepares to launch a vaccination campaign in a few days.

A surge in cases of RSV infections coinciding with increased COVID transmission and an earlier-than-normal flu season has raised the specter of a so-called “tripledemic” of respiratory illnesses across the United States .