'Keep your distance.' Medical professionals fear after Thanksgiving Tripledemic surge

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- WakeMed medical professionals are bracing for a surge of illness post Thanksgiving. For parents like Jaime Labrador, germs are always top of mind when she's at Chavis Park. It's a mission she's had since 3-year-old Julianna was born.

"It's too much. That's why it scares me," said Labrador. "Hand sanitizer and keeping her away from too many kids. That's where the germs come from. When it's time to put her in school, she'll go, but now, she can learn at school with me."

WakeMed medical professionals say keeping her away from many people is a good idea especially since they're seeing high levels of respiratory illnesses.

"We have COVID-19 an ongoing pandemic. We have our seasonal flu which is continuing to increase and then we have Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) which really started to increase in August," said Infection Prevention Specialist Jessica Dixon.

According to Dixon, it's likely the thanksgiving holiday will worsen the surge. She says any times groups gather you increase your risk of transmission.

"It was an unprecedented travel day yesterday. There were lots of people on trains and on other forms of public transportation where people are in a small space," said Dixon.

The flu is more prevalent at the hospital and Dixon encourages the public to get flu shots. As for reducing transmission, she says we should still follow the 3 w's we learned during the pandemic: wearing a mask, washing hands and watching your distance.

"There's still a role for masking when you're up close to people especially those whose health status you don't know and for keeping your distance from people especially if they appear to be symptomatic," said Dixon.

Keeping distance is something Raleigh mom Labrador doesn't take issue with.

"I like to come when its barely any kids here," she said.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, the White House resisted pediatric health groups' calls to declare national emergency for 'Triple-demic.'

In October, ABC11 reported that pediatricians were bracing for a possible Tripledemic.

The CDC offer these tips to prevent the spread of flu, RSV or COVID-19:

• Avoid close contact

• Stay home when you are sick

• Cover your mouth and nose with coughing or sneezing

• Wash your hands

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth

• Practice other good health habits like cleaning and disinfecting surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is sick.

Click on CDC to see more.

'We have never done this': UNC opens 'Pediatric Surge Unit' to deal with respiratory virus patients

Cases of respiratory virus surge to 2-year high, CDC data shows