There’s very little reporting on shingles cases nationally, but anecdotally, we’re seeing a strange uptick in shingles among our client’s employees in the last few weeks. Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, and about 1 in 3 people in the US will get the virus in their lifetime. That means about 1 million people per year get the shingles, and your risk increases as you get older. So, our clients’ number of cases may just be a random reflection of those high annual numbers, an aging workforce, more people seeking medical treatment post-pandemic, or there may be something larger going on here. We’ll continue to keep an eye on our trends.
Source: CDC
It can be hard to tell them apart without testing since so many symptoms are similar. Flu may have a quicker onset and COVID may have more of a variety of symptoms. Sore throat is one of the most common first symptoms for COVID. RSV on the other hand, may look more like the common cold in adults, with runny nose and sneezing. Ultimately, the only way to know for sure is to test, and most flu and RSV tests are still done at the doctor’s office. If you test negative for COVID, you may still be contagious and should stay home until you’re feeling better.
Source: NY Times
No need to exclude someone for a run-of-the-mill runny nose based on weather. It’s normal to get a short-term runny nose going from cold outdoors to warm indoors because the cold, dry air triggers your nasal passage to produce more mucus to keep your nasal lining moist. If someone has a new runny nose that’s not related to allergies or temperature, that’s when it’s more likely to be a virus. But if it’s cold out and your employees have some sniffles when they come inside, they are generally clear to work if they otherwise have no symptoms. As always, they should wash their hands well after blowing their nose!
Source: Northwestern Medicine
Why sick season will be worse from now on…
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