An infectious disease expert said that the rise in influenza-like illnesses in the country and other parts of the world is triggered by the co-circulation of similar viruses that is prevalent during the cold months.
Dr. Rontgene Solante, chairman, Adult Infections Diseases and Tropical Medicine of the San Lazaro hospital and the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID), underscored that people should not panic with the rise of influenza-like illnesses in the country and China because of prevailing circumstances such as the easing of the community quarantine restrictions against the COVID-19 pandemic both in the Philippines and China and the conduct of numerous face-to-face activities towards normalizing lives.
Solante discussed why getting the latest COVID-19 vaccine matters during the Seminar-Workshop on Injecting Hope Catch Up Vaccination and Life-Course Immunization spearheaded by the Philippine Press Institute, the national association of newspapers, in partnership with Pfizer Philippines, Pharmaceutical and Health Care Association of the Philippines, Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations, Philippine Medical Association and Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, Inc.
He pointed out that with new COVID-19 variants of concern still causing new infections and hospitalizations and the co-circulation of other respiratory viruses, possibility of peaks is always expected such as what is happening in the case of influenza-like illnesses.
The infectious disease expert claimed that since 2023, influenza-like illnesses have been plateauing with an average of approximately 4,000 cases reported per week and reported cases in previous weeks are lower compared to the past five years.
Solante explained that the surge of influenza-like illnesses in China is caused by the resumption of face-to-face transactions aside from the lifting of the previous restrictions that allow people to freely move around and interact with each other which opens the floodgates for the transmission of the related viruses.
According to him, the winter season in China and other parts of the world are also considered as factors in the significant rise in influenza-like illnesses similar to what is happening in the country because of the onset of the cold months from November to march.
He disclosed that the similar viruses that co-circulate with COVID-19 are influenza A and B, para-influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, among others, that contribute to the surges in influenza-like illnesses in various corners of the world that is why the best way to preventing such surges is to adhere to the practical ways of protecting one’s self such as the wearing of face masks when in public places, avoid crowded places and closed settings to avoid contracting said illnesses.
“The primary causative agents that were prominent in previous years are still being observed in 2023 and their strains or subtypes have remained consistent,” Dr. Solante stressed.
He asserted that vaccine specific COVID-19 vaccination is important to protect the priority population at risk of hospitalization and complications.
Further, the expert suggested that long-term vaccination program should aim in including COVID-19 aside from other vaccine preventable diseases like influenza, pneumonia, as part of the life-course vaccination for the vulnerable population.
More importantly, Solante underscored that surveillance and tracking of influenza-like illnesses is key to prevention of outbreaks that may cause panic among the population.