Cases of covid, flu and respiratory syncytial virus increase 3:25
(CNN) --
For Americans across the country preparing to gather and socialize with family and friends over the holiday season, the White House has a clear warning: Covid-19 isn't over, and it's better that they protect themselves
In an interview with CNN to introduce the launch of a new White House public campaign on Thursday aimed at preparing Americans for what is expected to be a continued rise in Covid-19 cases this winter, the coordinator of White House covid-19 response Dr. Ashish Jha stressed that the stakes are even higher as the United States grapples with a trio of threats.
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“This is not an isolated disease,” Jha said, referring to the ongoing wave of covid-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza.
“The burden on hospitals and the burden on healthcare workers is due to all respiratory pathogens.
So we're very aware that this spike that we're seeing in covid is in that context of one of the worst flu seasons in a decade and with RSV that's been pretty bad."
Evidence suggests, however, that RSV has "peaked," Jha said, and case numbers began to decline "quite rapidly."
Still, it will be a while before the impact of the virus abates, he said.
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The Biden administration's renewed push to encourage people to use all the necessary tools available to keep COVID-19 at bay — getting vaccinated and boosted, using tests and treatments, and wearing a mask when necessary — are part of achieving which Jha said is the White House's ultimate goal: to prevent serious illness, hospitalizations and deaths.
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As part of its new push, the administration is restarting the free home COVID-19 test program, allowing every American household to request up to four free tests this winter at COVIDTests.gov.
It also offers federal resources to local health departments, putting extra focus on high-risk people, including providing a winter playbook for nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, and allowing staff at nursing homes administer vaccinations.
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Jha declined to predict how many Covid-19 cases there might be this winter, but said data from the past few weeks makes it clear that numbers have been on the rise, likely driven in part by indoor gatherings over the Thanksgiving holidays. Thanksgiving and the beginning of the winter holiday season.
“If someone gets vaccinated tomorrow, they will have some protection by Christmas.
But it's not like Christmas Day is the last day people socialize during the winter,” Jha said.
"Therefore, getting vaccinated as quickly as possible to have protection for as long as possible is critical."
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There are currently specific, more conservative CDC guidelines for what a person should do if they test positive for covid-19, such as isolating themselves from others, than if they get the flu or RSV.
Jha said that has to do with the fact that the spread of RSV and flu largely occurs when a person is symptomatic, whereas Covid-19 can be transmitted much more even when a person is asymptomatic.
He is encouraging Americans to follow this simple rule of thumb, whether you have covid-19 or something else: "If you feel sick, you should stay home."
In other words, don't cough during a family holiday dinner, even if you don't think you have covid-19: "You don't know what virus you have and there's no value in spreading it to other people," Jha said.
Covid-19
