PEORIA, Ill. – Family, presents, and cheer are all part of the holiday season. But so is the possibility of coming down with an illness.
Experts have been concerned with people catching three viruses that can affect respiratory systems; RSV, COVID, and the flu.
University of Illinois College of Medicine of Peoria infectious disease expert Doug Kasper told WMBD’s Greg and Dan there’s concerns about rising cases of COVID out of China.
He said one concern is if a new dominant strain of COVID emerges.
“Will that be significant in other populations, meaning people that vaccinated and boosted and natural infection and whatever the combination that we have in our country, do we expect to see that anything that comes out of China will change things?” said Kasper.
Kasper said there are ways to boost your immune system to help protect against catching a virus over the holidays. One way to to not be at home all day.
“Anything that people need to do to remain active and have control over this stress in their lives, control over their eating habits,” Kasper said.
He said it’s a task that’s more difficult in the winter months because people tend to stay inside from the cold temperatures and weather. But he adds healthy habits is a basic measure that’s been helpful in combating respiratory viruses.
