[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/preparing-for-unusual-shifts-in-viral-outbreaks\/"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","height":["1152","1152"],"width":["2048","2048"],"url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/shifts-in-viral-outbreaks-article-image-01.jpg","name":"Viral Outbreak Carts and Supplies","@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/shifts-in-viral-outbreaks-article-image-01.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/preparing-for-unusual-shifts-in-viral-outbreaks\/","dateModified":"2023-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","mentions":[{"@type":"Thing","url":"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q583725","name":"wiki-center-for-disease-control-and-prevention-cdc","@id":"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q583725"},{"@type":"Thing","url":"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q1052913","name":"wiki-respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv","@id":"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q1052913"},"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pandemic"],"name":"Preparing For Unusual Shifts in Viral Outbreaks","headline":"\"Preparing For Unusual Shifts in Viral Outbreaks\"","author":{"@type":"Person","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cindy-blye.jpg","name":"Cindy Blye","height":"884","width":"885","@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cindy-blye.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/web-based-security-system-benefits\/","name":"Cindy Blye","description":"Cindy Blye, BSN, RN, CCM is a Registered Nurse and Certified Case Manager. She is an Alumni of West Virginia University School of Nursing (BSN), and a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and The Authors Guild.","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/cindy-blye-rn-bsn-ccm","honorificSuffix":["BSN","CCM","RN"],"alumniOf":"https:\/\/nursing.wvu.edu\/","jobTitle":"Registered Nurse and Certified Case Manager","affiliation":["https:\/\/authorsguild.org\/","https:\/\/healthjournalism.org\/"],"@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/author\/cindy-blye\/#person"},"articleBody":"Now that the pandemic is waning, do you need those sneeze guards? Can hospitals reduce the number of isolation carts in circulation?\u00a0  If you think your facility can finally return to normal, research suggests that you may want to continue to watch for respiratory virus outbreaks.  \n\nThis article will examine the current \u201ctripledemic\u201d and how the pandemic made it harder to predict the timing of viral outbreaks. We\u2019ll also review why facilities need adequate supplies and storage space to handle whatever the post-pandemic world throws at you.\u00a0  \n\nThe Tripledemic  \n\nIn the fall of 2022, experts warned of a possible influx of people sickened with respiratory viruses. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), influenza, and COVID-19 cases rose from fall into winter, posing a threat to our already fragile post-pandemic healthcare infrastructure.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0  \n\nThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Network shows that COVID-19 hospitalizations peaked at the end of December 2022. Before that date, flu hospitalizations peaked in early December, and RSV hospitalizations in mid-November.\u00a0  The number of illnesses and deaths is declining. Yet, hospitals continue to see high case numbers. Also, current research shows that the pandemic threw off the seasonal timing of RSV outbreaks and the timing of other infectious diseases, making it difficult to predict future respiratory virus outbreaks.  Why Experts Are Concerned About RSV  RSV typically causes cold-like symptoms that subside after one to two weeks. But older adults and children less than one year old can develop severe infections.\u00a0  The journal Infection and Drug Resistance reported that the number of RSV cases during the 2020-2021 fall\/winter months was unexpectedly low. Researchers attribute this to the public health measures imposed by state and local governments, such as mask-wearing and shelter-in-place guidelines.\u00a0  When public health measures were lifted during the summer of 2021, RSV case numbers rose. These warm weather outbreaks of RSV infections didn\u2019t coincide with the usual fall\/winter RSV surge.\u00a0  Researchers noted that the higher-than-normal summer RSV infection rates could have been due to parents returning to work and people traveling to other countries. But research also showed that people\u2019s immune systems could have been compromised by spending a year or more in isolation.\u00a0  Our immune system needs exposure to pathogens (priming) to help it learn to fight those same pathogens in the future. The study\u2019s researchers state that children and adults may have less immunity to RSV due to a lack of exposure during the pandemic.\u00a0  Researchers found that babies born during the pandemic are more likely to contract RSV compared to babies and children born before or after the pandemic. Children are typically exposed to viruses when they are young. These early exposures help them develop some immunity. But this group of babies was not exposed early in their lives and are more susceptible to RSV.  While the tripledemic is losing steam, a recent American Medical Association (AMA) article reminds us that admissions related to respiratory viruses are ebbing and flowing at the community level. Hospitals need to stay prepared for viral outbreaks.\u00a0  Prepare With The Right Equipment  Investing in high-quality medical carts, cabinets, and protective equipment can protect a facility\u2019s investment in preparedness and help protect staff and patients by ensuring supplies are easily accessible.\u00a0 \u00a0  Consider the roles of various storage and protective equipment during an infectious outbreak:  Isolation carts can be assigned to separate isolation rooms or areas.  Converting an area or set of rooms to isolation areas may involve stocking extra pharmacy carts.\u00a0  Stationary sneeze guards are now considered standard in areas where staff and visitors interact.\u00a0  Mobile sneeze guards provide flexibility when caring for hospitalized patients and speaking with caregivers at the bedside.\u00a0  Studies have shown that healthcare facilities can no longer depend on seasonal variations of viral diseases. The AMA recommends \u201credoubling\u201d efforts to prevent the spread of these respiratory viruses amid continuing community outbreaks. It\u2019s worth remembering that COVID-19 is not the only virus affecting our healthcare system.","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/innerspace-healthcare-storage.png","name":"InnerSpace Healthcare Storage","height":"119","width":"460","acquireLicensePage":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/innerspace-healthcare-storage.png"},"address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","name":"InnerSpace Postal Address","postOfficeBoxNumber":"PO Box 2808","addressCountry":"US","addressLocality":"Grand Rapids","addressRegion":"Michigan","postalCode":"49501","streetAddress":"PO Box 2808","@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#PostalAddress0d149542-0d37-4313-a7a4-aacb6a045936"},"url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/","alternateName":"InnerSpace Healthcare","location":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#PlaceOrPostalAddress","faxNumber":"+1 616-743-5944","name":"InnerSpace","description":"InnerSpace Healthcare offers a complete line of stationary and mobile storage solutions for healthcare facilities including catheter labs, radiology, central supply and surgical services. We offer a cohesive system of medical carts, medical cabinets, and medical casework that work together for improved staff and facility efficiency","email":"cs@solairemedical.com","telephone":"+1 888-435-2256","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/innerspace-by-solaire-medical\/","brand":["https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#PaceBrand","https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#RoamBrand","https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#EvolveBrand","https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#Brand","https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#InnerspaceBrand"],"contactPoint":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/contact\/#CustomerService","legalName":"Solaire Medical, LLC","foundingDate":"2011-10-01","areaServed":["https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#canada","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States"],"@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#Organization"},"description":"Examine the current \u201ctripledemic\u201d and how the pandemic made it harder to predict the timing of viral outbreaks. Facilities need adequate supplies and storage space to handle whatever the post-pandemic world throws at them. ","datePublished":["2023-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","2023-03-31T00:00:00Z"],"inLanguage":{"@type":"Language","name":"English","sameAs":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/American_English","@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#English"},"about":[{"@type":"Thing","url":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pandemic","name":"wiki-pandemic","@id":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pandemic"},{"@type":"Thing","name":"wiki-respiratory-virus","url":"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q109316098","@id":"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q109316098"}],"copyrightYear":"2023.0","isFamilyFriendly":true,"subjectOf":{"@type":"Blog","url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/","name":"News","description":"News about InnerSpace healthcare storage solutions. Offering medical carts, cabinets, and casework that change with your needs.","inLanguage":{"@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#English"},"isFamilyFriendly":true,"@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/"},"wordCount":653,"isAccessibleForFree":true,"timeRequired":"P0Y0M0DT0H2M45S","citation":"https:\/\/www.ama-assn.org\/delivering-care\/public-health\/amid-tripledemic-clinicians-must-redouble-infection-control-efforts","@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/preparing-for-unusual-shifts-in-viral-outbreaks\/"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Preparing For Unusual Shifts in Viral Outbreaks","item":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/preparing-for-unusual-shifts-in-viral-outbreaks\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]