Doctors concerned over 3 respiratory viruses, including COVID, entering fall, winter

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — With summer ending, doctors are gearing up for what is expected to be a busy fall and winter with a convergence of three viruses.

Three respiratory viruses are the most concerning right now. COVID hospitalizations are low but have increased for six weeks in a row and there’s a new variant labeled as “highly transmissible.”

Doctors are calling it a trifecta of infections ready to pounce as the temperatures drop. Some are already masking to guard against a COVID-19 comeback.

“I go to Trader Joe’s all the time and I wear a mask. So I figured, if I wear a mask, the chances are somewhat less than I get infected by this thing,” Daniel Berman said.

Experts say the three infections — RSV, influenza and COVID-19 — are expected to circulate in the U.S. over the next few months.

“We see changing patterns of people going back to school, people being indoors and in close proximity to each other and that is what usually kicks off respiratory virus season,” Anne Rimoin, an epidemiologist, said.

A former White House advisor says people should take COVID-19 more seriously.

“We’ve never gotten to zero. The hospital admissions have never got to zero. Now we’re living in a bit of a fantasy world where we’re pretending that COVID is not relevant,” Dr. Deborah Birx, who was on the former White House Coronavirus Response Task Force, said.

The new COVID variant BA2.86 — newly detected in the United States — appears to be more contagious than previous strains, but not as dangerous.

An updated COVID-19 vaccine is expected soon.

“We do expect the CDC to have a meeting on Sept. 12 and make recommendations use for the new formulation of the vaccine and it should be available shortly after,” Dr. Dean Blumberg said.

The yearly flu vaccine will also be available soon, and RSV shots are recommended for high-risk groups.

“In general, if you’re not feeling well, if you’re sick, the best thing to do is to avoid contact with other people if you can, in particular people who are vulnerable,” Rimoin said.

Doctors say an updated COVID vaccine is important because immunity eventually weakens and the older shots don’t guard against the new variants.