Face Masks Are Back for the Holidays Thanks to ‘Tripledemic’
Masks are making a comeback this winter, and the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t the only reason. Blame a “tripledemic” of three highly contagious respiratory illnesses: COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and seasonal flu.“Beyond the high-risk persons, everyone is encouraged to wear a mask at present, because the three viruses are so prevalent at this time,” says William Schaffner, MD, a professor of infectious disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.Roughly 1 in 7 Americans now live in communities with high levels of COVID-19 transmission, according to a report released December 8 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And their ranks are rising fast.On top of this, we’re on track to have the worst flu season in more than a decade, with an estimated 8.7 million cases, 78,000…