Respiratory season picks up heading into the holidays

‘Tis the season for sickness in the Maritimes as experts say various illnesses are on the rise.

"It seems like there is lots of stuff going on this year, there's colds, flus, pneumonia, walking pneumonia, RSV, COVID, lots of different viral and bacterial infections,” says pharmacist Jamie Flynn.

Halifax student Sophie Delorey says she is experiencing multiple bugs right before the holidays.

" I just have a stuffy nose, sore throat kind of thing. It's been about a week-and-a-half, kinda tough to get rid of,” says Delorey.

“We have been quite busy. This is a busy time of year for us because of COVID vaccines and flu vaccines and trying to get everybody vaccinated for the COVID and flu season, and people with RSV vaccines as well,” says Flynn.

Infectious diseases doctor Lisa Barrett case numbers will start picking up as the Maritimes enters the respiratory season.

"We are about to go into the hardcore part of it. Lots of influenza starting to appear, but still not the highest uptick that will be in January or February. As well we are seeing RSV more than we were seeing in October, November but still not the biggest uptick and of course COVID we are still in the thousands of cases since August,” says Barrett.

Flynn says he’s seeing people from all age groups dealing with the cold.

“Basic cold would probably be the most common. There's also people with strep throat and pneumonia, COVID, they are all common this time of year,” says Flynn.

In some cases, Maritimers are seeking help from nearby pharmacies for treatments and antibiotics.

"People often come in with cold and flu symptoms and they often want to see whether I can give them something here or if it's a viral infection or whether they should be referred to a physician if it's a bacterial infection,” Flynn.

Barrett has advice to avoid getting sick or passing whatever you have onto others this Christmas season.

"If you don't have a fever or a cough, consider wearing a mask. If you are going to be indoors with a lot of people, consider wearing a mask,” says Barrett. “Consider picking up a bit of handwash and using it when you're out and about and also its not too late to get vaccinated.”

Barrett says COVID cases are currently leading over influenza and RSV, but the numbers will only continue to change as we get further into this respiratory season.

For those who are sick, Nova Scotia Heath says the options besides clinics and emergency rooms include VirtualCareNS (VCNS), mobile primary care clinics, pharmacy-based clinics, and Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs).