High levels of respiratory illness reported across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware

NEWARK, Del. (WPVI) — If you feel like everyone around you is coughing and sneezing, it’s not your imagination.

The CDC says the level of respiratory illness, including flu, COVID, and RSV, is classified as “high” in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, while Delaware is classified as “very high.”

Doctors say they’re seeing it all.

“Everyone is sick. We have RSV going on. We have flu. We have COVID going on. We have GI distress. Essentially, you’re getting sick in some fashion,” said Dr. Theresa Metanchuk, the Regional Clinical Director for ChristianaCare.

Dr. Claiborne Childs, the vice president of medical affairs at Riddle Hospital, is seeing the same thing.

“It’s sort of a confluence of all the different viruses all together. We’re seeing an uptick all around the hospital,” Childs said.

We’re at the center of the respiratory illness season.

“We still have some time to go. We have the rest of the month of January, February and early March,” said Dr. Childs.

That means there is still time to protect yourself with vaccines.

Dr. Metanchuk said the latest statistics show this year’s flu shot is 40% beneficial, which she said is “better than nothing.”

“They’re meant to keep you out of the hospital. They are meant to limit how severe the illness makes you,” she said.

As people heal from those illnesses, their bodies are at greater risk.

“Whenever you get sick, our immune system has to get a chance to recuperate, bounce back, so we’re more likely to get sick with something else,” said Dr. Metanchuk.

Staying hydrated, working out, and eating healthy – common New Year’s resolutions – are good ideas for preventing these illnesses too.