Rhode Island is experiencing a severe flu season with cases rising sharply across the state and putting added strain on hospitals and emergency departments.
Dr. Philip Chan, a physician and Consultant Medical Director for the Rhode Island Department of Health, says he’s not exactly sure what’s driving the spike, but low vaccination rates may be playing a role.
“We are seeing a lot of misinformation; a lot of reluctance to get any vaccine, frankly, including the flu vaccine and COVID vaccine,” Chan said. “That may be one of the reasons why we’re seeing higher rates of flu.”
While the flu shot doesn’t guarantee people won’t get sick, Chan says it remains highly effective, particularly for older adults and people with compromised immune systems.
“As a physician, I would really and strongly encourage people – especially people who are older and have other underlying comorbidities – to really, really consider getting the flu vaccine and the COVID vaccine, frankly,” Chan said.
Rhode Island emergency departments saw a sharp spike in flu cases in December, according to the most recent state data. Just over 1% of ER patients were positive for flu for the week ending Dec. 6, while that number reached nearly 9% for the week ending Dec. 27.
The surge in respiratory illness prompted Brown University Health to require patients, visitors, and staff to wear masks at all times. The hospital system moved all of its Rhode Island and Massachusetts facilities from Respiratory Virus Status Yellow to Status Red, effective Tuesday, Jan. 6.
Under the designation, the hospital will require Level 2 surgical masks at all times, and N95 masks when clinically appropriate.
Brown University Health spokesperson Jessica Wharton said masking decisions are based on multiple factors, including illness severity, community transmission levels, hospital capacity, and guidance from infectious disease experts. While she did not share specific numbers on emergency department diagnoses or hospital admissions, she said the move reflects elevated respiratory illness across the community.
The surge in viruses has not had a significant impact on staffing, Wharton said, noting that systems are in place to maintain safe staffing levels and uninterrupted patient care throughout respiratory virus season.
Health officials stress that it’s not too late to get vaccinated. Flu shots are available through primary care providers and local pharmacies. Brown University Health also urged the public to wash hands frequently, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home when sick to help slow the spread of respiratory viruses.
