Record number of parents miss work as respiratory illnesses spike in kids

Children are especially hard hit by respiratory illnesses. There are a lot of cases of flu-like illnesses so far this year. The Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus continues to increase in strength. There is still a stew of SARS-coV-2 variant in the background. rhinoviruses and enteroviruses are two of the most common cold-season viruses.

Children's hospitals around the country have reported being at capacity or over capacity due to the surge in infections. A squeeze on the workforce is one of the effects of the crush of Viruses. According to The Washington Post, the US broke its record last month for people missing work due to childcare problems, such as having children home sick.

According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 100,000 Americans missed work in October because they couldn't find a babysitter. In recent records, that is more missing workers than any other month, including the entirety of the COVID-19 Pandemic. At the peak of the Pandemic-related shutdowns in 2020, the number of Americans missing work for child care problems was low.

The labor statistics show how much the transmission of respiratory viruses has affected Americans. Simple health measures such as wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, and staying home when sick can help reduce the spread of seasonal viruses. The White House and the CDC have stopped encouraging Americans to take precautions.

Outlook

Most of the country has returned to pre-pandemic activities now that the Pandemic has ended. There are a lot of signs that things could get worse in the US. The CDC has reported that a lower-than-normal number of Americans have gotten their yearly flu shot.

More than 30,000 Americans are hospitalized with the Pandemic virus, and more than 300 are dying every day. Only 10 percent of Americans who are eligible for the boosters have gotten the updated booster dose. New omicron sublineages are evolving and chipping away at therapies. Experts are worried that another wildly different variant of the disease could emerge at the same time as last year, causing a new wave of disease, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Still, in a summit hosted by Stat News Tuesday, White House COVID-19 Coordinator Ashish Jha offered a rosy outlook for the rest of the winter. He said that most Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine and that many have already been exposed.

There should be no restrictions on people's activities if they are up to date on their vaccinations. I'm living the way I was in 2019.