December Respiratory Surge: Flu, RSV, and COVID Spike

Most people ride it out at home, but some folks—especially little kids, older adults, and people with lung or heart problems—can get sick fast. When a local hospital doesn’t have the right equipment or the patient needs more support than expected, our critical care teams get involved and help move them safely to the right facility.

That said, a lot of winter illness really can be prevented or at least made less miserable. A few simple things go a surprisingly long way:

• Washing hands (actually rubbing for 20 seconds, not the two-second rinse we all do when we’re in a hurry).

• Keeping distance from friends or coworkers who are obviously sick.

• Staying hydrated — it’s weird how easy it is to forget water when it’s cold outside.

• Cracking a window or running a fan when you have people over for the holidays.

• If you’re eligible, making sure vaccines are up to date. They don’t stop every illness, but they do help keep people out of the hospital, and reduce symptom severity even if they do contract the illness.

If you do get sick, most people recover fine at home. Things that help:

• Resting more than you think you need.

• Drinking water, tea, electrolyte drinks — whatever you’ll actually drink.

• Eating light foods if your stomach is sensitive.

• Using a humidifier or warm shower to ease coughing.

• Over-the-counter meds for fever or comfort (if safe for you).

• Avoiding alcohol until you’re feeling better — it really can make you feel worse.

• Paying attention to whether you’re getting better or if your symptoms keep climbing.

Here’s the part people sometimes struggle with: knowing when it’s time to go to the ER. In general, you should get checked out if you notice things like:

• Trouble breathing or feeling like you can’t catch your breath

• Chest pain

• Blue lips, pale skin, or confusion

• A high fever that doesn’t budge with medication

• Dehydration that makes you feel dizzy or weak

• A young child breathing fast, using extra muscles to breathe, or not drinking well

• Symptoms that suddenly take a sharp turn for the worse

And if a hospital decides someone needs a higher level of care, that’s when our crews step in. Sometimes it’s a short ground transport. Sometimes it requires a flight. Either way, our job is to make sure the sickest patients get to the right place safely, especially during the busiest part of the year.

Winter is always a little wild in healthcare, but the small things you do at home — from washing hands to resting early — make a bigger difference than you’d expect.