The perfect storm: An unseasonably early RSV annual epidemic, a severe annual fl u epidemic, and a smoldering COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Some seasonal respiratory viruses can assure a perfect storm, as has been the case most recently with an unseasonably early respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) epidemic, a severe annual infl uenza virus epidemic, and a smoldering coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.1 Much has been discussed since last October about this looming “tridemic” or “triple-demic” of RSV, infl uenza, and COVID. Given the predominance of these 3 respiratory viruses during the late fall, winter, and early spring, I will henceforth limit my comments to just these 3 viruses, although this by no means implies that other respiratory viruses are of less signifi cance.