Doctors worry about triple threat of COVID, RSV and flu as kids head back to school

PATERSON, N.J. — Doctors are worried about a “triple threat” amid a concerning rise in COVID cases as kids get ready to go back to school. 

COVID, RSV and flu are expected to surge as the summer winds down and classrooms fill up. 

“People are close together, people are on vacations, children are back in school where they’re sitting next to each other. And so the incidents of all viral infections increase,” said Dr. David Goldberg, chief of pediatric infectious disease at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey. 

Goldberg expects cases to tick up after Labor Day. 

“It’s hard to tell at this point just how bad the season is going to be but there will be three of them coming, pretty much together,” said Goldberg. 

The so-called “tripledemic” threat comes as COVID hospitalizations jumped nearly 22% in one week, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

There are now vaccines for all three infections. 

Health officials hope a new COVID vaccine formula rolling out in September will protect against a slew of new variants. This year, expectant mothers older Americans with respiratory problems can get the new RSV vaccine. And, of course, there are flu shots. 

“These viruses are going to be circulating and there’s absolutely no way to evade all three of them,” said CBS New York medical contributor Dr. Nidhi Kumar. “If you have people in your household that are over the age of 60, immunocompromised, have cardiopulmonary disease or diabetes, you have to take it very seriously.” 

Kumar said there’s no reason to be fearful, as long as you use common sense. 

Experts say you should talk with your health care provider to find out which vaccines you are eligible for.