Respiratory Illnesses On The Rise in Texas: CDC Recommendations

There has been lots of very cold temperatures hitting the nation and with that cold weather comes lots of people just being under the weather.

It's that special time of year where there are magical sounds in the air. I'm not talking about wedding bells or sleigh bells but coughing and sounds of sniffling noses. Very magical. That means that lots of people are sick and it's actually very bad timing if you already have problems breathing due to other conditions.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that respiratory illnesses across the United States are actually increasing along with very high numbers of influenza infections. The flu is also the number one respiratory virus causing the most emergency room visits, my mom included, due to the severity of the symptoms. A lot of those that have been impacted the most by respiratory viruses include people under the age of 18 and over the age of 64.

The CDC does have a list of ways to prepare for this mix of illness currently circulating around the United States.

• Immunize - Get your regular immunizations for the flu, COVID, and RSV.
• Testing - Get regularly tested when you start to feel symptoms of illness so you can avoid infecting others.
• Precautionary Measures - Wash your hands, keep your distance from people, and utilize face masks to reduce bacteria.
• Treatment - If you do happen to get any illnesses during this time then make sure to seek the proper treatment right away to avoid the illness progressing any further.

For more information and resources on precautions or what do if you or someone you know falls ill just look on the CDC website.