COVID-19 hospitalizations are on the rise

For the week ending Dec. 23, there were 29,059 new COVID-19 hospitalizations, a 16.7% increase from the week before. According to CDC data, COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased steadily since November.

Overall, 17 U.S. states and the District of Columbia reported substantial increases in COVID-19 hospitalizations, and 12 states reported a moderate increase. An additional 20 states had stable COVID-19 hospitalization rates while two states, Iowa and Utah, reported decreases.

According to the Wall Street Journal, a new omicron subvariant called JN.1 is driving many new COVID-19 cases in the United States. As of Dec. 23, JN.1 was responsible for 44% of COVID-19 cases in the United States, a roughly 21% increase from the week before. It is currently the most common COVID-19 variant in the United States and is also growing in other countries, such as France, Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Sweden.

JN.1's quick spread suggests that it is either more transmissible or more adept at evading immunity compared to other COVID-19 variants. However, CDC said in December that there is no evidence suggesting JN.1 causes more severe illness. Existing vaccines, tests, and treatments are also still effective against the new variant.

"Data shows that all of the antibodies are a really good fit, luckily, for JN.1," said Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport. "That's really good news."

Flu activity is elevated across the US

For the week ending Dec. 23, 13 U.S. states reported very high influenza-like illness (ILI) activity, and 19 states reported high ILI activity. An additional six states reported moderate ILI activity.

According to CDC data, there were 14,732 new flu hospitalizations for the week ending Dec. 23, an increase from the 9,930 patients who were hospitalized the week before.

During this time, the percentage of outpatient provider ILI visits was 6.1%, an increase from 5.2% the week before. Outpatient provider ILI visits have been above the national baseline for eight consecutive weeks.

So far, CDC estimates that there have been at least 7.1 million flu cases, 73,000 hospitalizations, and 4,500 deaths this flu season. There were also six pediatric flu deaths for the season reported the week ending Dec. 23, bringing the current total to 20.

How to protect yourself this winter

As respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, influenza, and others, continue to grow across the United States, health experts are urging people to take preventive measures to avoid getting sick.

"It's a wave of winter respiratory pathogens, especially respiratory viruses. So it's Covid, it's flu, and we can't diminish the importance of RSV," said Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. "So it's a triple threat, and arguably a fourth threat because we also have pneumococcal pneumonia, which complicates a lot of these virus infections."

Although health experts have encouraged eligible patients to be vaccinated against COVID-19, influenza, and RSV, uptake still remains relatively low. So far, only 19% of adults and 8% of children have received the newest COVID-19 vaccine, and less than half of adults and children have received a flu vaccine. In addition, only 17% of adults ages 60 and older have received an RSV vaccine.

"We have, as a population, underutilized both influenza and the updated Covid vaccines, unfortunately," said William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University. "But it's not too late to get vaccinated, because these viruses are going to be around for a while yet."

Other safety precautions people can take include wearing a mask in crowded places, washing their hands, covering their coughs and sneezes, and having good ventilation. Some hospitals have also reinstated mask mandates amid rising viral cases.

For those who do get sick, health experts recommend staying home and seeking treatment as soon as possible. Antiviral treatments for COVID-19 and the flu are available for sick patients and can be especially helpful to vulnerable populations who are at a high risk of severe illness.

"If more people at higher risk for severe illness get treatment in a timely manner, we will save lives," CDC said. However, "not enough people are taking them." (McPhillips et al., CNN, 1/2; Abbott/Mosbergen, Wall Street Journal, 12/29; Weixel, The Hill, 12/19; Bink, The Hill, 12/19; Smith, New York Times, 12/27; CDC COVID Data Tracker, accessed 1/2; CDC Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, accessed 1/2)

To protect against illness, federal health officials are encouraging people to get vaccinated once new shots against these three viruses are available. Here's what you need to know.