Tripledemic: Should you be concerned?

Heading into the holidays, surging cases of Covid-19, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) pose a unique threat, which many are calling a "tripledemic" or "tridemic." While RSV cases have plateaued, Covid-19 and the flu are on the rise. Hospitalizations for the flu are the highest seen at this time of year in a decade. While unprecedented, experts in infectious disease and emergency medicine say the convergence of these illnesses is not a reason to live in fear. On this episode, Bruce Farber, MD, and Eric Cruzen, MD, explain what people can do to avoid serious illness this winter, particularly as families gather for holiday celebrations. They discuss:

• Masking recommendations
• Overlapping symptoms between Covid-19, flu and RSV
• How hospitals handle surges
• The importance of getting vaccinated against Covid-19 and the flu

Podcast transcript   Meet the experts

• Bruce Farber, MD, chief of Public Health and Epidemiology at Northwell Health   

• Eric Cruzen, MD, senior vice president and executive director of the Emergency Medicine service line, Northwell Health