Respiratory Illness Surveillance
Wastewater testing confirms that Influenza A and COVID-19 continue going down. The solid lines on the graph represent the current season’s virus levels. The dotted lines show levels during the same period last year. Influenza A (solid orange line) and SARS-CoV-2 (blue line), the virus that causes COVID-19, are both declining. RSV (grey line), was not detected this week.
There are other respiratory pathogens that are circulating, so if you have respiratory symptoms, please limit contact with others, especially elders, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems. If you must be around people, wear a mask. If you test positive for COVID-19, talk with a healthcare provider about highly effective antiviral treatment that is now available.
Other notable respiratory pathogens circulating:
Human Metapneumovirus: Anchorage is seeing a second wave of Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV) this winter. We do not test for hMPV in Bethel, but it is likely that this virus is causing some of the respiratory illnesses that we’re seeing. hMPV can cause respiratory symptoms ranging from mild, cold-like illness to more severe respiratory conditions, particularly in young children, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Prevention strategies like hand hygiene, avoiding close contact with sick individuals, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces can help reduce the spread.
Pertussis: The YK Delta has seen a steady decline in pertussis cases (not pictured above) the past few months. However, it is likely not completely gone. We still encourage everyone to stay up to date with the DTaP or Tdap vaccine to protect themselves and those around them. This vaccine is recommended for infants and young children, with booster doses for adolescents and adults, especially pregnant people.
YKHC Office of Environmental Heath's Testing of Bethel Wastewater
When people are ill from a viral infection, they release bits of virus into the wastewater when they use the toilet or wash their hands. The YKHC Office of Environmental Health consistently collects and evaluates Bethel wastewater to detect SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A and B, and RSV using sophisticated genomic testing techniques at our wastewater lab in Bethel.
Bits of virus in the wastewater include genetic material known as RNA or DNA. Our lab uses the same type of equipment as the hospital to detect genetic material specific for a particular virus. When we have a positive wastewater test, we know that the virus is in our community. Higher concentrations of the genetic material suggest there are more people with the virus in the community.
Wastewater testing does not tell us who is sick with the virus, but it does help us recognize when a virus enters the community and whether infections are going up or down.
Respiratory Illness Prevention and Surveillance
Get immunized to protect against flu, COVID and RSV this season.
Respiratory illnesses, such as flu, COVID and RSV, tend to increase in the fall and winter, as we spend more time inside. Getting your fall vaccinations get help protect you and your family against the most serious effects of flu, COVID and RSV.
We strongly urge all residents ages 6 months or older to receive the current flu and COVID-19 shot. Eligible individuals should get vaccinated against RSV. People who are up to date with their vaccines have lower risk of severe illness.
Scroll down to learn more about the vaccines and how to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses.
More About Winter 2025 Immunizations
INFLUENZA
This year’s vaccine covers three strains. Staying up to date with the flu vaccine provides 40%-60% protection against medically attended influenza.
Availability: Should be available in all clinics and at the hospital. If you are having trouble accessing the vaccine, please call 907-543-6949.
Who: Everyone 6 months and older. People 65 years and older and people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised received a second dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.
When: If you haven’t received an updated vaccine this season, now is the time.
COVID-19
Everyone 6 months and older should receive the Fall 2024/Spring2025 COVID-19 vaccine. People 65 years and older and people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised received a second dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine six months after their first dose. Last year, staying up to date on your COVID vaccine provided about a 60% increase in protection.
Availability: Should be available in all clinics and at the hospital. If you are having trouble accessing the vaccine, please call 907-543-6949.
Who: Everyone 6 months and older.
When: We recommend that anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated or infected recently get updated right away. If you have recently been infected, it’s recommended to wait 4-6 months before getting the updated vaccines. This guidance may differ for individuals with immunocompromising conditions—check the CDC website for more specific guidance.
RSV
Monoclonal Antibodies:
The monoclonal antibody (MAB), Beyfortus (nirsevimab), provides direct antibodies against RSV to infants, unlike a vaccine, which teaches the body to produce an immune response. Real-world data from the YK Delta showed that this was highly effective (~80%) at preventing medically attended RSV, and likely even higher at protecting against hospitalization. This is amazing given the historically high rates of infant hospitalization for RSV in the YK Delta.
Availability: Should be available everywhere. Contact YKHC Immunizations Program if you hear otherwise.
Who: All infants under 8 months, and Alaska Native infants under 20 months, should receive nirsevimab. Depending on the supply we can secure and the timing of its arrival, we may need to prioritize infants in their first RSV season and those at higher risk for severe disease. We will provide further guidance as we learn more about our allocation of nirsevimab.
When: Available now, and should be given to anyone 19 months and younger who has not received it this season.
Vaccine:
YKHC offers the RSV vaccine, Abrysvo. Unlike nirsevimab, this is a vaccine that teaches the body to produce an immune response to RSV.
Availability: This vaccine is now available in the YK Delta.
Who: Everyone 60 and older may get the vaccine; anyone 75 and older should get the vaccine. Pregnant people can receive Abrysvo during 32-36 weeks of pregnancy from September through April. It can be administered at the same time as other routine vaccines for pregnancy (Tdap, COVID-19, and flu). However, in non-pregnant women aged 18-49 years, co-administration of Tdap and Pfizer RSVpreF led to a decreased immune response to pertussis components. According to the CDC, “When deciding whether to co-administer other vaccines with an RSV vaccine, providers should consider whether the patient is:
- up to date with currently recommended vaccines,
- the likelihood of the patient returning for additional vaccine doses,
- risk for acquiring vaccine-preventable diseases,
- vaccine reactogenicity profiles, and
- patient preferences.”
When: It’s recommended that eligible individuals get vaccinated right away. Getting vaccinated now should provide protection at least for this season, and possibly longer.
How to Get Your Vaccines
Flu and COVID vaccines are available in Bethel and villages now.
- In villages, call your clinic to schedule an appointment.
- YKHC is scheduling providers to visit unstaffed clinics to provide fall vaccinations.
- In Bethel, call 907-543-6442 to schedule an appointment.
RSV: To learn more about receiving antibodies or the vaccine, speak with your healthcare provider.
Prevention of Respiratory Diseases
There are several things each of us can do protect ourselves and others from respiratory diseases.
Immunizations: Stay up to date with COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines! Everyone 6 months and older should receive the Fall 2024/Spring2025 COVID-19 vaccine. People 65 years and older and people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised received a second dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine six months after their first dose. RSV vaccines are available for pregnant people (third trimester) and persons 60 years and older.
Don’t ignore your cough! Be on the lookout for symptoms that could be associated with pertussis. If you have had a cough lasting more than two weeks or a severe cough that occurs in sudden, uncontrollable bursts, especially if followed by vomiting, please reach out to YKHC for evaluation and treatment.
If you are sick from a respiratory virus:
- Limit your interactions for at least 24 hours after your symptoms improve and you have not had a fever without taking fever-reducing medication.
- For the first five days after symptoms have resolved, you may still be contagious. Consider wearing a mask and distancing from others.
Testing: Lab tests are widely available and can be readily accessed for common viruses, including COVID-19, flu, and RSV. At-home tests for SARS-CoV-2 are widely available and may be picked up from the security desk at the hospital. In villages, schedule a test at your local clinic.
If you test positive for COVID-19, call 907-543-6949, 543-6420, or your local clinic for more information.
Hygiene: Certain viruses can be spread through surfaces. Washing your hands often and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces can be helpful to prevent sickness.
Treatment: COVID-19 treatment can be highly effective if taken within 5 days of symptoms starting. People who received Paxlovid had a 75% reduction in the odds of death and 60% lower odds of hospitalization. Call 907-543-6949 or your local clinic for more information about accessing treatment.
Learn More
Flu
Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat and lungs. The illness usually lasts 5-7 days, but symptoms can linger for 6 weeks.
Flu can cause:
- Dehydration: can cause imbalances of the salts in our blood
- Pneumonia: not bacterial requiring antibiotics, but fluid building in the lung tissue making it hard for the lungs to work well.
- Worsening of underlying illness like COPD, brochiectasis or other lung and heart conditions.
Flu is transmitted from person to person through droplets when we sneeze, cough, speak or sing and we can also pass it along by germs on our hands, so washing hands and masking if we’re sick are great ways to prevent from spreading the flu.
COVID-19
COVID-19 most often causes respiratory symptoms that can feel much like a cold, the flu, or pneumonia. But COVID-19 may attack more than your lungs and respiratory system. Other parts of your body may also be affected by the disease. Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but some people become severely ill. Some people, including those with minor or no symptoms, will develop post-COVID conditions, also called “Long COVID.”
Anyone infected with COVID-19 can spread it, even if they do not have symptoms.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a respiratory virus that causes cold-like symptoms.
Most people infected with RSV usually show symptoms within 4 to 6 days after getting infected. Symptoms of RSV infection usually include: runny nose, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing. These symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once.
In very young infants with RSV, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity or breathing difficulties.
Severe RSV infections include bronchiolitis (an inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia. RSV can also make chronic health problems worse. For example, people with asthma may experience asthma attacks as a result of RSV infection, and people with congestive heart failure may experience more severe symptoms triggered by RSV.