COVID is surging in California, but it’s RSV and flu causing concerns in SLO County
Big metropolitan areas of California reported surges in COVID-19 cases after the Thanksgiving holiday, but San Luis Obispo County has yet to see a sizable bump in transmission.
However, the county is grappling with a higher-than-usual number of cases of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
“Our hospitals are currently maintaining a high intake of patients, especially those with flu, RSV and COVID,” said Jessie Burmester, an infectious disease epidemiologist for the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department. “We’re heavily monitoring the situation.”
Did SLO County see increase in COVID-19 transmissions?
The winter holiday season has coincided with a surge in COVID-19 transmission and hospitalization since the pandemic reached the U.S. in March 2020. Many experts believed a similar surge was possible this holiday season.
Burmester monitors levels of SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes the coronavirus disease — in wastewater.
She looked at available data on respiratory virus transmission locally between Thanksgiving and Christmas — two major holidays for travel and gathering.
“We were anticipating an increase post-Thanksgiving,” Burmester said of the SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater.
Instead of a bump, she said, available data showed lower virus concentrations than expected.
“Paso Robles wastewater data did show a slight increase from last week, which has been gradually climbing since early November,” Burmester said. “But I do want to note that this rise is currently still lower than the peak that we observed this last summer.”
Both the city of San Luis Obispo and the South County Sanitation District, which monitors COVID-19 levels in wastewater in Arroyo Grande, Oceano and Grover Beach, showed a dip in SARS-CoV-2 levels during the week of Dec. 8, compared to the previous week.
It was not something Burmester expected to see when reflecting on the winter surges of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021.
“While this is mostly good news, based on what we’ve seen in previous years, there’s a risk of increased transmission as we head into the holidays,” Burmester said.
In other words, San Luis Obispo County isn’t necessarily in the clear just yet.
Paso Robles tracks RSV, flu levels in wastewater
In addition to COVID-19, the city of Paso Robles contracts with an external group to monitor the presence of the influenza virus and RSV in municipal wastewater.
“We’re beyond just (being) concerned about COVID or one disease,” Burmester said.
The data shows a substantial spike in the presence of RSV in wastewater in Paso Robles for 60 days ending Dec. 6.
Influenza A virus is also monitored in Paso Robles wastewater data. Influenza A concentrations in wastewater skyrocketed between early and late November and appeared to taper off in December.
SLO County hospitals see increases of influenza, RSV patients
SLO County hospitals have been grappling with an increase in pediatric influenza and RSV cases since late October and early November.
The steady stream of respiratory viruses among children and adults that require hospitalization continues to impact local hospitals, Burmester said.
Those hospitals are “feeling the strain, but they’re currently maintaining and managing,” she said.
The California Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not report county-level data for RSV and influenza hospitalizations. However, the state health department does track hospitalizations for COVID-19 in San Luis Obispo County.
A total of 13 county residents were hospitalized with severe COVID-19 as of Friday, according to the state health department.
No COVID-19 patients were in intensive care units in the county.
“We’re in an uncertain period heading into winter. Typically this is our respiratory (disease) season,” Burmester said. “We’re keeping a close eye on all respiratory diseases, especially those that are reportable.”
How to stay protected as respiratory viruses surge
The rising rates of respiratory illness in San Luis Obispo County caused Public Health to expand the testing services offered at their COVID-19 testing sites.
Now, locals can also get no-cost rapid tests for influenza as well as coronavirus at sites in Grover Beach, Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo.
“Finding out what virus is causing your symptoms—whether it’s COVID-19 or flu—is the first step in accessing the right treatment and guiding the steps you take to protect others from the virus,” SLO County Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in a news release.
Patients who test positive for COVID-19 can access Paxlovid and other test-to-treat options at community sites. Patients who test positive for influenza are advised to contact their primary care provider to access antiviral treatment, the release said.
“Providing this service at community sites also helps lift a weight from our local hospitals and doctor’s offices as they respond to an ongoing surge in respiratory viruses,” Borenstein said in the release.
Public Health recommends making an appointment for the flu or COVID-19 test at www.slopublichealth.org/testing.
Community members who have not received their bivalent COVID-19 booster or influenza vaccine are advised to do so by health experts.
Vaccines and immunizations are available for influenza and COVID-19 at Public Health clinic locations and local pharmacies.
“We just really want to instill that the community can do their part and stay aware, stay educated and do their best to protect themselves and their loved ones, because there can be a lot done on the individual level as well,” Burmester said.
Common sense measures such as staying home when sick and consistent handwashing can lead to a safer winter holiday season for all, she said.
Where to go in SLO County for COVID, flu vaccines and tests
Testing is administered at 1336 Ramona Ave., Suite A, in Grover Beach; 800 Pine St. in Paso Robles and 801 Grand Ave. in San Luis Obispo.
Vaccines are administered at the Grover Beach clinic at 286 South 16th St., the Paso Robles clinic at 805 4th St. and the San Luis Obispo clinic at 2191 Johnson Ave.
To find COVID-19 or flu shots at pharmacies near you, visit Vaccines.gov.
Residents who are homebound can request in-home vaccination services from the county. Call Public Health at 805-781-5500 or visit slopublichealth.org/homevaccine to schedule an appointment.
This story was originally published December 12, 2022 at 12:54 PM.
