Concern for tripledemic heading into the holiday season

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- Health officials are calling it a tripledemic, as we head into the holiday season, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the flu, and COVID are all circulating at the same time.

The flu and RSV hit southern Colorado earlier than usual this year. Experts say COVID restrictions kept those cases down over the past two years.

"As the antibodies start to go down a little bit you’re more susceptible, and I think that’s why we were seeing such a dramatic rise in RSV cases and so early in the winter season," said Dr. Michael Roshon with Centura Health.

Now that all three are prevalent in the Pikes Peak region there's concern among doctors this holiday season.

"I don’t see any reason we wouldn’t see a little bit of a bump in COVID, flu, and RSV cases. The question is, is that going to lead to hospitalizations? And we just don’t quite have the answer to that yet," said Roshon.

After Thanksgiving, Dr. Roshon says there hasn't been that big of a spike in Colorado hospitalizations but it is early.

The latest data from El Paso County Public Health shows 31 people are hospitalized with the flu this week, and after hospitals were inundated with RSV cases last month Dr. Roshon says they're starting to come down.

"The bad news is we are seeing an increase in COVID cases, a pretty dramatic increase," said Roshon.

Over the last two weeks, there have been more than 1,700 COVID cases, 58 hospitalizations, and 5 deaths.

"It’s clear to me certainly for older folks, the more susceptible folks, COVID is going to be the real danger this winter," said Roshon.

Doctors are preaching that if you aren't feeling well, stay home because there are so many people out there that are susceptible to these viruses.

On Wednesday morning, Children's Colorado told us they are still seeing historically increased volumes due to respiratory illnesses, that includes RSV, COVID, and the flu.