Wanjiru Waweru, Jadetimes Staff
W. Waweru is a Jadetimes News Reporter Covering Health & America News
Pittsfield, Massachusetts — Berkshire Health System is predicting an increase in respiratory illnesses in the upcoming few weeks. Dr. James Lederer, a chief medical and quality officer at Berkshire Health System addressed this issue that would eventually occur.
“We see this happen in the winter because we are all stuffed indoors tightly together, you know, we’re not outdoors, we’re not enjoying our lunch on the patio; we are all in the cafeteria or we are all in confined workspaces,” said Lederer.
The health system provided its own masking protocols. At this moment, they are green and fresh, masking is recommded but not required due to a low risk of repiratory virus.
“Starting to see the RSV climb a little bit, influenza it’s out there and I expect we see it climb more as we get into January, but right now it’s still in the low and COVID is in the low,” said Lederer.
Lederer reported children and older adults need to be more aware at a high risk to become sick.
“Our RSV babies, their airways are so little that a little bit of inflammation takes an easy-going breathing patient to one who’s distressed and wheezing and having difficulties. Same thing holds with our older patients who have underlying respiratory illness,” said Lederer.
Some of the best strategy Lederer reported to protect yourself safe from illness is to get vaccinated and use masks along with others courses of activity.
“It’s really minimizing exposure, keeping good hand hygiene and hand sanitization, wearing a mask if that is something that you feel comfortable doing in whatever setting you’re in and getting vaccinated,” said Lederer.
Lederer also reported if you experience an illness, you need to stay home until you get better to protect yourself from spreading virus or germs to others.Pittsfield, Massachusetts — Berkshire Health System is predicting an increase in respiratory illnesses in the upcoming few weeks.
Dr. James Lederer, a chief medical and quality officer at Berkshire Health System addressed this issue that would eventually occur.
“We see this happen in the winter because we are all stuffed indoors tightly together, you know, we’re not outdoors, we’re not enjoying our lunch on the patio; we are all in the cafeteria or we are all in confined workspaces,” said Lederer.
The health system provided its own masking protocols. At this moment, they are green and fresh, masking is recommded but not required due to a low risk of repiratory virus.
“Starting to see the RSV climb a little bit, influenza it’s out there and I expect we see it climb more as we get into January, but right now it’s still in the low and COVID is in the low,” said Lederer.
Lederer reported children and older adults need to be more aware at a high risk to become sick.
“Our RSV babies, their airways are so little that a little bit of inflammation takes an easy-going breathing patient to one who’s distressed and wheezing and having difficulties. Same thing holds with our older patients who have underlying respiratory illness,” said Lederer.
Some of the best strategy Lederer reported to protect yourself safe from illness is to get vaccinated and use masks along with others courses of activity.
“It’s really minimizing exposure, keeping good hand hygiene and hand sanitization, wearing a mask if that is something that you feel comfortable doing in whatever setting you’re in and getting vaccinated,” said Lederer.
Lederer also reported if you experience an illness, you need to stay home until you get better to protect yourself from spreading virus or germs to others.
Comments