ALAMOSA — Hospitals in the San Luis Valley – specifically, San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center (SLVRMC) in Alamosa and Rio Grande Hospital (RG Hospital) in Del Norte – are reporting a prevalence in illnesses that are common this time of year and are encouraging people to take steps to prevent becoming sick.
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ALAMOSA — Hospitals in the San Luis Valley – specifically, San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center (SLVRMC) in Alamosa and Rio Grande Hospital (RG Hospital) in Del Norte – are reporting a prevalence in illnesses that are common this time of year and are encouraging people to take steps to prevent becoming sick.
The three illnesses health care providers report seeing the most are norovirus, Influenza type A and Covid. All three are highly contagious and come with symptoms that can range from uncomfortable to severe.
As of Wednesday, SLVRMC reported that, while high, the number of cases are plateauing off and RG Hospital reports that cases are still on the rise but expect the numbers to peak soon. But both health care facilities are advising people to use precautions.
Worldwide, norovirus is the leading cause of gastroenteritis with stomach flu-like symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting and fatigue. It can also lead to dehydration and stomach cramps. Other symptoms include fever, headache, and body aches.
Norovirus is spread through contaminated food and water or through contact with an infected person. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the germs can live on any surface – doorknobs, countertops, tabletops, glassware, etc. – for up to 12 hours and on contaminated carpet for up to 12 days.
The good news? It’s preventable by just washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Unfortunately, alcohol-based products like hand sanitizer don’t work on norovirus, so it’s back to scrubbing with soap and water.
If you become sick, don’t prepare food or drink for other people for at least 48 hours after the symptoms have passed. And continue to wash your hands because, even if you feel better, norovirus can live in your poop for up to two weeks, so continuing to be diligent about washing hands is important.
Also, many disinfectants don’t kill norovirus so wear gloves while cleaning up or washing the clothes of a sick person. To clean surfaces, put five tablespoons of bleach in a gallon of water and let it sit on the surface for five minutes.
Norovirus typically peaks around mid to late January because, as is a common scenario, people gather together during the holidays. A person suddenly feels very sick for one or two days and then feels better. Assuming they just had the stomach flu, they go home and spend time with other people, not realizing they’re still highly contagious and spreading norovirus to others.
So, what’s the takeaway? It should sound very familiar by now. Prevent getting sick by washing your hands.
According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Education, cases of Influenza A are also surging in Colorado with a nationwide map showing our state to be in the “high” range of infection.
Flu, or influenza, is a common respiratory virus that can cause mild to severe illness. Anyone can get the flu, but some people are at higher risk of serious complications, including hospitalization and death, including those who are 65 years and older; have certain chronic medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, and heart disease; are pregnant or are younger than 5 years old.
Flu is also very contagious and can spread when someone with the flu coughs, sneezes, or talks and the germs land in your mouth or nose or you touch a surface or object that has the flu virus on it and then touch your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
People usually begin to feel symptoms two days after being exposed and infected with the virus, but, sometimes, symptoms won’t show up for up to four days after being infected.
The symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and feeling really tired.
Some people may vomit and have diarrhea, although that’s more common in children than adults. Symptoms usually go away after three to seven days but a cough and fatigue could last for more than two weeks.
The best way to prevent flu-related illnesses is to get a flu vaccine every year (it’s not too late). To find a provider with flu vaccines, go to vaccines.gov/find-vaccines. Enter your ZIP code, then click “Search.”
Anyone who doesn’t have health insurance is eligible for a flu vaccine at low or no cost from a provider with publicly funded vaccines. Go to https://cdphe.colorado.gov/find-free-low-cost-vaccine-provider to find a provider to meet that need.
And to complete this trifecta (where nobody is a winner), no, Covid-19 has not gone away, and, yes, cases in Colorado are also high right now.
According to https://cdphe.colorado.gov/viral-respiratory-diseases-report (Colorado’s Viral Respiratory Disease Dashboard), the number of people with influenza is greater than those with Covid-19 but all are higher than at other times of the year because of the scenario mentioned above. (it’s not too late to get vaccinated.)
According to coverage by Colorado Public Radio, on Wednesday, Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist, was quoted as saying she thought virus levels in Colorado could be high for several weeks. Trends for flu and Covid-19 look like they might be declining but numbers are still high.
“I like to talk about the fact that when we reach the peak of flu season, that's really only the halfway mark,” Herlihy said. “There's still lots of influenza out there. We know that COVID remains unpredictable. We're likely to see additional waves of COVID as we move further into the spring and summer, given that we've had a pretty mild season so far.”
So, what’s the takeaway?
“Stay home and away from work or school if you’re sick. Wearing a mask prevents the spread of a virus, and hand sanitizing does as well, as does wiping down horizontal surfaces at home.
“If you suspect noroviruses in your household, lots of bleach. Bleach is your friend. Bleach will kill all the respiratory viruses and will kill norovirus.”
People are undoubtedly tired of reading about viruses and ways to prevent them after several years when that dominated the conversation. But it’s a pretty sure bet that reading about it and taking precautions is a lot more comfortable and quick than the alternative. Just a thought.
And it’s not too late to get vaccinated.