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CHKD is seeing an uptick in viruses that kids normally catch in the winter

It’s not a surprise as people start to venture out more, but doctors are reminding parents of ways they can keep the spread of cold and flu-like viruses low.

NORFOLK, Va. — As the summer gets hotter medical experts at CHKD are actually seeing more kids come in with illnesses they usually diagnose during the colder months!

It’s not a surprise as people start to venture out more, but doctors are reminding parents of ways they can keep the spread of cold and flu-like viruses low.

Fevers and coughs are symptoms that Chesapeake mom Mary Potter didn’t expect her family to battle in mid-June. Her 1-year-old and 2-year-old both just fought off infections.

“The viral part, I was thinking that would be winter,” Potter said. “But it’s summer, it’s nice outside.”

Lauren Taylor’s family tossed around a cold, which worsened for her 3-year-old.

“Over the past month we have had four doctors’  visits, an ER visit, super high fevers and he did come back that he has RSV,” Taylor said. “Which at his age, it’s not super serious.”

As more people head out, CHKD is seeing an uptick in viruses they normally get in the winter.

“People are tired of the pandemic, they want to get back to normal, but it doesn’t mean the other things aren’t out there,” said Dr. Lauren Sass.

Dr. Sass is CHKD Director of Infection Prevention and Control, and she said cases of SARS are going down as COVID vaccine rates increase.

But during the week of June 6, she added that CHKD reported 173 cases of parainfluenza, 25 cases of SARS, and 20 of RSV.

“We always would see RSV periodically through the summer,” Dr. Sass said. “You would get one or two, but we had 20 last week.”

While it’s not a cause for alarm, as the community opens up, Dr. Sass wants families to be mindful.

“These viruses are all transmitted very similarly from respiratory droplets of people sneezing, touching their face, and touching something else,” Dr. Sass said.

She recommends keeping some pandemic practices in your back pocket like consistent hand washing.

“Use common sense on what to do in a situation,” Dr. Sass said. “If you are going to an indoor place that is very crowded, wear a mask.”

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