Sick with COVID and the flu: Double infections hit California hard
LA TimesCalifornia’s hospitals are getting busier with more COVID-19 and flu patients, some of whom are suffering from both viruses at the same time. L.A. County’s entry into the “medium” COVID-19 hospitalization category has prompted local public health officials to order hospitals, nursing homes and any other inpatient facility to require healthcare employees mask up while in patient-care areas. Multiple tests over a time period, such as over two or three days, can be helpful, “especially when the people using the tests don’t have COVID-19 symptoms,” according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. California’s level of flu-like activity — which includes nonflu illnesses such as COVID-19 — recently rose to “very high,” one of the worst levels as defined by the CDC, for the first time this winter. So I’m sure we’ll probably see a little uptick.” For the week that ended Dec. 23, California had a “very high” level of flu-like activity, which includes nonflu illnesses such as COVID-19, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.