Southern states continue to see high numbers of dangerous respiratory infections but have likely passed the worst of the so-called “tripledemic” of influenza, RSV and COVID-19 that led to widespread school closures this fall and has strained some of the region’s hospitals.
“We’re seeing a lot of vaccine hesitancy with influenza shots this year. I think people are tired of shots and the boosters, and there’s always this angst about influenza vaccinations,” said Dr. Nick Hysmith, medical director of infection prevention at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis and an associate professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.