As winter ramps up, so do cases of COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and the flu in Orange County, piling pressure on residents to get their shots in the arm and double down on virus-thwarting habits. Orange County Health Care Agency is sending a clear message: Get vaccinated and stay sharp with prevention to avoid being part of the uptick.
Figures released by the OC Health Care Agency paint a concerning picture, with positive test results for these respiratory viruses climbing steadily over the last month and a half. In response, health officials are hammering home the importance of vaccines for all three bugs. These jabs, they say, are particularly critical for those who're more likely to wind up seriously sick—like the elderly, kids under five, and pregnant folks, the agency notes. There's support on offer for those without insurance, with a direct line to the HCA's Health Referral at (800) 564-8448 for help getting the shots.
"Getting vaccinated against COVID-19, influenza, and RSV and practicing preventive measures can help minimize the spread and severity of these viruses and help reduce the burden on our local hospitals," Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, the County Health Officer and the HCA’s Chief Medical Officer, emphasized, per the agency’s announcement.
Beyond vaccination, the Health Care Agency's advice is straightforward: stay home if sick, keep your coughs to yourself, mask up in crowds, and be overzealous with that soap and water. With the holiday around the corner, they're also nudging folks towards pre-party testing and, for those stuck with a positive result, to undergo treatment immediately. Treatments like Paxlovid are up for grabs, and they could keep a bad bout with the virus from dragging on, or worse, spiraling into long COVID.
