EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — It is the season of giving, but this year, some people are sharing germs.
Dr. Jonathan Golder, the chief medical officer at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Pocono, says the health care system is seeing patients with a variety of illnesses.
"Everything from COVID to Influenza A, RSV, and even just the common cold," Dr. Golder said.
Doctors say there has been a big jump in the number of RSV cases, especially in adults. With so many sick patients, it can cause longer waits to be seen.
"We are holding some patients in the emergency room waiting for a bed. I would say that every hospital in the region is doing that just because of the amount of sick people that we're seeing coming through the doors now. It doesn't mean we can't handle them; it's just that there's a lot of sick people."
Hospitals try to prepare for the surge of sick patients, but there are always challenges with staffing, especially during the holiday season.
Dr. Stan Martin, the director of infectious diseases for Geisinger, says there are ways to protect yourself when it comes to being around sickness when you can't avoid it.
"The good news is that we have prevention for all three of these big viruses now—COVID, influenza, and RSV—and, of course, that is vaccination," Dr. Martin said.
If you aren't feeling well, doctors suggest skipping family gatherings.
"Taking care of yourself when it comes to the virus is also about taking care of other people," Dr. Martin added. "I would urge everyone to be mindful and to spread good cheer this year, not viruses."
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