As the seasons shift in St. Louis, so do local health concerns. With cooler weather, school in session, and more time spent indoors, the risk of catching seasonal illnesses like influenza, RSV, and new COVID variants increase. And although a degree of sickness may be unavoidable, there are preventative measures families can take to reduce the risk.
Dr. Sarah George, a professor of infectious diseases and researcher in Saint Louis University’s Center for Vaccine Development, is well-versed on the familiar rhythm of seasonal illnesses. “While it’s always inherently a bit unpredictable, after the kids go back to school, we restart transmission of the respiratory viruses,” she explains. ”So the common cold viruses, of which there are many, start circulating. We also see transmission of respiratory viruses, including RSV, flu, and COVID.”
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As for what to expect this upcoming fall, George recommends reviewing what the previous year brought, while noting things do fluctuate from year to year.
“Flu season usually starts in October and runs through April. Some years, it’s been earlier; some years it’s been later,” she notes. “Last year, at least locally, it didn’t start until maybe December. But again, that’s always inherently somewhat unpredictable.”
Just as flu cases typically climb as cold weather approaches, so does COVID. And while the virus is still spreading year-round, George does see a lower number of cases prior to back-to-school season. “Cases usually start climbing again once we get back into the fall and the colder weather,” she shares. “I do note that with COVID [this year], we have not seen as high of a late-summer surge as we’ve seen in previous years, so maybe there’ll be fewer cases this fall. But again, it’s just too early to say.“
Ultimately, it’s not the cold temperatures alone that bring on the viruses. While the drier air plays a factor, George explains, the human behavior that follows suit is what really makes a difference as more time is spent indoors. ”Once you start pulling the kids out of their home environment or whatever else they’ve been doing all summer and pack them into classrooms, you get automatic respiratory virus transmission,” she continued. “They bring it in, they spread it around in the classroom, and then they take it home and their parents and their siblings get it and so on.”
As Dr. George puts it, “It just happens every year, regular as clockwork.” However, there are ways to try and steer clear of sickness before it happens.
“The best way to boost your own personal immunity is to stay in good health,” she said, adding that it’s best to avoid cigarettes and alcohol. “Eat a healthy diet; get enough sleep. Exercise is always good and has [been proven] to boost your immune system. Things like that.”
George also recommends yearly vaccines as an “effective and safe preventative measure.”
”The flu shot is definitely recommended for older people, children, people with weak immune systems, but it’s really available for most anybody, and it does boost your immunity against flu,” the expert explains. “There is an RSV vaccine–actually a couple of them that are approved for older people or people with weak immune systems. And, of course, COVID boosters, which again will be coming out [this season].”
On top of vaccinations, another effective strategy to ward off the season’s illness, George adds, is good, old-fashioned hand-washing. “A lot of these viruses are transmitted on surfaces, so frequent hand-washing is very self-protective.”
George’s No. 1 tip to reduce community spread? Stay home when necessary. “If you do get ill, stop the chain of transmission. Don’t go to work if you’re ill. Do not send your child to school or daycare if your child is ill.”
If you do catch a virus–other than antivirals prescribed by a healthcare provider or antibiotics for an infection–the recommended solution is “really just rest and fluids,” George says.
Ultimately, there’s no special supplement or magic trick that works as a preventative measure or as a cure, and it’s rather all about keeping it simple, George says: “Get your vaccines, maintain your good health, and do the best you can to take care of yourself.”
