♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ A CHILL IN THE AIR AND SOME SNOW ON THE GROUND MEANS RESPIRATORY VIRUSES ARE COMING AROUND.

STAY WITH US AS WE TALK ABOUT SURVIVING RESPIRATORY VIRUS AND OTHER OLD FRIENDS WITH INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST Dr. MARK BURNS NEXT ON "KENTUCKY HEALTH."

RES PEOPLE WHO ARE FOND OF OUTDOORS ARE FOND OF SAYING THERE THERE IS NO BAD WEATHER YOU CANS JUST BAD CLOTHING.

THE SAME HOLDS THROUGH FOR SEASONAL VIRUS.

IT IS SHOWN ATTENTION TO PERSONAL HYGIENE, VACCINATIONS CAN DECREASE OUR RISK BY BEING INFECTED BY THE THREE MAIN CAUSES OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES, COVID AND INFLUENZA AND AND I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH RSV UNTIL I SIGNED UP TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRIAL TO TEST AN RSV VACCINE.

MOST PEOPLE INFECTED WITH RSV, FLU OR COVID CAN BE TREATED AT HOME AND EXPECT AN UNCOMPLICATED RECOVERY.

HOWEVER THERE ARE SOME POPULATIONS THAT THOSE WITH THE EXTREME AGE, IMMUNOCOMPROMISED AND FOLKS WITH OTHER CHRONIC ILLNESSES AT INCREASED RISK FOR COMPLICATIONS AND PROTRACTED ILLNESSES.

TODAY'S GUEST, Dr. MARK BURNS, INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST WILL TAKE US THROUGH THE CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, TREATMENT AND MEANS OF PREVENTING THE COMMON CAUSES OF SEASONAL RESPIRATORY INSPECTION INFECTIONS.

Dr. BURNS DID HIS RESIDENCY IN INTERNAL MEDICINE.

AFTER A CAREER IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Dr. BURNS CHANGED HIS CLINICAL FOCUS AND COMPLETED A FELLOW HIP WITH INFECTIOUS DISEASE ALSO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE.

HE IS CURRENTLY THE HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST AT THE VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER IN LOUISVILLE, AND IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

Dr. BURNS, MARK, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME BACK.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>> YOU SEEM TO BE OUR FAVORITE INFECTIOUS DISEASE GUY.

I WOULD SAY YOU ARE LIKE A COLD, YOU KEEP COMING AROUND BUT I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU IN THAT... >> APPRECIATE THAT.

>> WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

WHY DO THESE VIRUSES, RSV, COVID, FLU, WHY ARE THEY MORE COMMON IN THE WINTER TIME?

>> WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO THAT.

FIRST OF ALL, THE COLDER WEATHER DOES PROMOTE SURVIVAL OF VIRUSES BETTER.

BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU DON'T SEE AS MUCH DURING THE SUMMERTIME, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM.

BUT WHEN IT'S COLDER, ACTUALLY IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT THOSE VIRUSES DO SURVIVE BETTER.

IN ADDITION, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE ATMOSPHERE THAT IS WHAT IS GOING ON THAT IS, YOU KNOW, USUALLY IN THE SUMMERTIME, PEOPLE CAN GET OUT, SPREAD OUT, NOT NECESSARILY A LOT OF CONTACT.

BUT IN THE WINTER TIME, WHEN IT'S COLDER, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT TO BE INDOORS WHERE IT'S WARM AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY'RE IN CLOSER CONTACT AT THAT POINT.

>> A LOT OF US GET RUNNY NOSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT ANYWAY.

DOES THAT HELP SPREAD THESE VIRUSES AND THINGS?

>> IT CERTAINLY CAN HELP PROMOTE IT BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN PEOPLE DO HAVE RUNNY NOSES AND COUGHS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, ACTUALLY BETWEEN THE RESPIRATORY DROPLETS THEY MAY BE COUGHING OR THE ACTUAL FLUID FROM THEIR NOSE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT DOES CONTAIN LIVE VIRUS.

AND AGAIN, IF YOU ARE IN CLOSE ENOUGH CONTACT, YOU CAN SPREAD THAT WAY.

AND THEN SOMETIMES PEOPLE CAN EVEN TOUCH INANIMATE SURFACES THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN DROPLETS ON AND USUALLY IF YOU TOUCH WHAT WE CALL OUR MUCOUS MEMBRANES, EYES, NOSE AND MOUTH, WE CAN GET THE VIRUS THAT WAY AS WELL.

>> DO YOU TEND TO GET IT THROUGH THE SKIN ITSELF, IN TACT SKIN SURFACES OR LESS COMMON?

>> THAT'S LESS COMMON.

NO, IT'S USUALLY BETWEEN THE OPEN AREAS LIKE I SAID, THE EYES, THE NOSE AND ESPECIALLY THE NOWSDZ-- ESPECIALLY THE MOUTH.

>> I, ARE THERE ANY OTHERS WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT BESIDE COVID, RSV AND THE FLU.

>> WE HAVE OUR NUMBER ONE ENEMY OF ALL TIME, THE COMMON COLD.

>> FORGOT ABOUT THAT ONE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND ACTUALLY, THE COLD ITSELF, YOU HAVE RHINO VIRUSES, YOU ALSO HAVE HUMAN CORONAVIRUS AS WELL THAT THEY HAVE ACTUALLY STUDIED.

AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED SINCE ABOUT 1963.

THERE HAVE BEEN LIKE THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT ONES.

BUT NO, THE HUMAN CORONAVIRUSES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS, DIFFERENT KINDS-- ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF VIRUSES.

>> SO THE COMMON COLD, IS THAT ALSO ONE OF THOSE THAT SURVIVES BETTER IN THE WINTER?

BUT WE STILL SEE INCIDENTS OF THAT IN THE SUMMERTIME, DON'T WE?

>> WE CAN, BUT AGAIN, JUST LIKE THE OTHER VIRUSES WE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, YOU SEE LESSER AMOUNTS OF THOSE BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER AND ALSO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, TEMPERATURE WISE.

AND ALSO, AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE MORE SPREAD OUT, NOT-- THEY'RE IN CLOSE CONTACT, NOT DURING THEY ARE LIKE WHEN IT'S COLDER.

>> ARE THE SYMPTOMS CAUSED BY THESE VIRUSES, ARE THEY SIMILAR OR ARE THERE DISTINGUISHING FEATURES BETWEEN THEM?

>> FOR MOST PART, THEY'RE SIMILAR IN THAT WE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE THAT PRESENT WITH FEVERS, CHILLS, FATIGUE, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COVID, IT HAS SPECIAL THINGS LIKE MAYBE LOSS OF TASTE, LOSS OF SMELL; THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IF YOU LOOK AT JUST ABOUT ALL THE SYMPTOMS, THEY ARE ALL COMMON WHICH IS WHY IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY, BASED ON SYMPTOMS, DO YOU HAVE A COLD, DO YOU HAVE COVID, RSV?

THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, THAT WHEN THE SYMPTOMS COME, ESPECIALLY NOW BECAUSE OF COVID, TO GET TESTED.

>> ARE THERE POPULATIONS THAT ARE AT INCREASED RISK FOR DEVELOPING THESE VIRUSES OR CAN ANYBODY GET THEM?

>> TECHNICALLY ANYBODY CAN GET THEM.

AND WHAT HAPPENS, HOWEVER, PEOPLE WHO ARE SORT OF, AS I THINK YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, EXTREMES OF AGE, VERY YOUNG, VERY OLD, A LITTLE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, PEOPLE WHO HAVE IMMUNOLOGIC ISSUES, PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE HAD STEM CELL TRAN PLANTS ARE ON MEDICAL INDICATIONS TO SUPPRESS THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE IMMUNOLOGIC PROBLEMS IN AND OF THEMSELVES ARE MORE AT RISK FOR THESE VIRUSES BECAUSE THEY DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE FIGHTING CELLS, IF YOU WILL, THAT ORDINARILY PROTECT THEM.

>> WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS YOU SEE?

I ASSUME MANY OF THEM TEND TO RUN A COURSE THAT'S FAIRLY BENIGN, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> FOR THE MOST PART, THE AVERAGE PERSON WITH NORMAL FUNCTION IMMUNE SYSTEM, THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM TAKES OVER CONTROLS IT, KILLS THE-- HELPS KILL THE VIRUS EVENTUALLY.

WE ALL HAVE THOSE SYMPTOMS BUT WHAT WE NEED TO REALIZE IS, AS WE ARE HAVING THOSE SYMPTOMS, ITSELF FEVERS, ITSELF THE CHILLS, THAT'S OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM GETTING REVVED UP AND FIGHTING THE VIRUS AT THAT POINT, SO WHAT HAPPENS IS ONCER IT'S UNDER CONTROL, THE IMMUNE SYSTEM DIES DOWN, CONTROLS THE VIRUS AND AGAIN FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON WITH NORMAL FUNCTIONING IMMUNE SYSTEM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT HAPPENS.

>> ANY PARTICULAR COMPLICATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, ANY OF THESE VIRUSES?

>> AGAIN, FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NORMALLY FUNCTIONING IMMUNE SYSTEMS, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL HAVE INCONVENIENT THINGS LIKE RUNNY NOSE, A COUGH.

THEY MAY NOT FEEL WELL, BUT GENERALLY NOT SYMPTOMS THAT WOULD PUT YOU IN THE HOSPITAL.

VERSUS SOMEONE WHO DOES HAVE IMMUNE ISSUES.

THEY DO POTENTIALLY DEVELOP PNEUMONIA OR THEY COULD BECOME SEPTIC.

>> THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THOSE PEOPLE.

OKAY.

LET'S GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF THESE THINGS.

OUR OLD FRIEND OR OUR NEW FRIEND, COVID.

WE HEAR ABOUT DIFFERENT STRAINS OF COVID.

DO THESE VIRUSES COME IN-- OTHER VIRUSES COME IN DIFFERENT STRAINS, TOO, AND TELL ME HOW THIS WORKS.

>> SURE.

ALL VIRUSES MUTATE.

THAT'S THEIR WAY OF SURVIVAL.

AGAIN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT INFLUENZA, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S WHY WE GET YEARLY FLU SHOTS BECAUSE THE INFLEW INFLUENZA VIRUS MUTATES, TRIES TO CHANGE THE STRUCTURE AND CHANGE ITSELF SO IT'S NOT SUSCEPTIBLE TO TREATMENTS.

AND AGAIN, COVID, LIKE ANY OTHER VIRUS, WILL MUTATE TO TRY TO PROTECT ITSELF, TO TRY TO SURVIVE.

SPEAKING OF COVID JUST FOR A SECOND, MOST OF THE MUTATIONS, FOR COVID, TAKE PLACE ON THE SPIKE ROW TEEN WHICH IS THE BUSINESS END OF THIS VIRUS AND BECAUSE OUR THERAPEUTICS HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TOWARDS THE SPIKE PROTEIN, THAT'S WHY IT TRIES TO CHANGE ITSELF AND THAT'S WHY WE GET THE DIFFERENT MUTATIONS.

>> THAT'S INTERESTING.

SO THE VIRUS-- WE ARE THROWING A LEFT HOOK AND THE VIRUS IS COUNTER PUNCHING US, ADJUSTING ITSELF.

>> RIGHT.

THAT'S WHY-- AND I'VE SAID THIS IN NUMEROUS TIMES, YOU KNOW, WHEN I TALK ABOUT VACCINATION ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WE NEED-- IF ENOUGH PEOPLE GET VACCINATED, WE CAN ALL THROW THAT LEFT HOOK AND THEN THE VIRUS WILL NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO COUNTERPUNCH, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T WORK OUT THAT WAY.

>> WHAT ABOUT RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS?

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CHANGES OVER TIME?

>> AGAIN, IT CAN MUTATE AS WELL, TOO.

RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS IN AND OF ITSELF, IS MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE AT THE EXTREMES OF AGE.

THE VERY YOUNG AND THE VERY OLD.

AVERAGE PERSON WITH THE RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS WOULD BEHAVE MORE LIKE A COMMON COLD.

>> COMMON COLD.

>> AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE NORMALLY FUNCTIONING IMMUNE SYSTEMS.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A COMPLETELY NON-CONFRONTATIONAL SUBJECT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT VACCINES.

NO CONCERN THERE, RIGHT?

>> NONE.

[LAUGHTER] >> SO WHAT DO VACCINES REALLY DO FOR US?

>> OKAY, WE TALK ABOUT VACCINES, VACCINATION.

YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT CONTROLLING, LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU GET WHATEVER THE DISEASE IS YOU ARE VACCINATING AGAINST AND SINCE COVID IS THE BIGGEST THING RIGHT NOW, I'LL USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE.

WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF VACCINES FOR COVID.

WE HAVE THE ACTUAL MRNA VACCINES AND YOU HAVE THE PROTEIN SUBUNIT VACCINES AS WELL.

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE VACCINES INTERJECT INTO US WHAT IS A PORTION OF THE VACCINE-- I'M SORRY, A PORTION OF THE VIRUS AND THEN OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM RECOGNIZES THIS AS BEING FOREIGN SO ANTIBODIES DEVELOP AGAINST IT.

BUT THEN WHEN YOUR BODY REALIZES, WAIT A MINUTE, THIS ISN'T THE WHOLE VIRUS, THIS ISN'T AN ACTUAL INFECTION, AND SO IT DIALS ITSELF BACK.

BUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE ANTIBODIES THAT ARE FORMED, YOU ALSO HAVE MEMORY CELLS FORMED AS WELL, TOO, TO KNOW TO GENERATE THE ANTIBODIES IN CASE IT HAPPENS TO SEE THIS VIRUS AGAIN.

>> YOU KNOW, BUT PEOPLE SOMETIMES, WHEN THEY GET AN INJECTION, THEY WILL HAVE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE OR THEY WILL HAVE PAIN AT THE INJECTION SITE.

THIS IS NOT THEM GETTING INFECTED.

THIS IS JUST A REACTION TO... >> RIGHT, RIGHT.

THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS GETTING REVVED UP TO FIGHT, READY TO DO BATTLE.

AND THEN WHEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM REALIZES THERE IS NO BATTLE TO FIGHT, THEN IT DIALS ITSELF BACK, BUT THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

THAT'S WHY PEOPLE MAY FEEL BAD, THEY MAY HAVE SORENESS IN THEIR ARM OR THEY MAY FEEL I JUST FEEL HORRIBLE FOR MAYBE A DAY OR █SO AND THEN SOMETIMES, LIKE A LIGHT SWITCH, BAM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BACK TO NORMAL.

>> GOCH GOTCHA.

WITH POLIA WE-- POLIO WE HAD A LIVE VIRUS.

DO WE HAVE THAT GOING ON WITH THE RSV OR INFLUENZA OR COVID VACCINES?

>> AS YOU ALLUDED TO, WE HAVE VACCINES FOR ALL THREE OF THESE ENEMIES THAT WE HAVE.

SO, BUT IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME PRINCIPLE; THAT IS A PORTION-- AND IT'S USUALLY NOT-- IT'S CERTAINLY NOT A LIVE VACCINE-- NOT A LIVE VIRUS BUT IT'S NOW TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN INJECT PARTICLES OF IT AND, FOR EXAMPLE, COVID, OUR BIG EXAMPLE, THEY CAN INTERSECT THE SPIKE PROTEIN OR THEY CAN GET YOUR BODY TO MAKE THE SPIKE PROTEIN.

AND THEN YOU GET THE ANTIBODIES AGAINST THAT.

>> SO THE CONCERN A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD WHEN THINKING ABOUT VACCINATED IS, I AM GETTING INFECTED FROM THE VACCINE.

THAT'S NOT WHAT IS HAPPENING?

>> THAT'S NOT WHAT IS HAPPENING AT ALL.

AND I'VE EVEN HEARD PEOPLE SAY I DON'T WANT THE VACCINE BECAUSE I FELT TERRIBLE.

I GOT SICK, YOU KNOW.

AND LITTLE DO THEY REALIZE THAT, OKAY, THAT'S JUST THEIR BODY, AGAIN, THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM REVVING UP TO FIGHT THE BATTLE.

I TRY TO TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, I SAY WELL, YOU CAN HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS FROM THE VACCINE BUT YOU GET THE SAME SYMPTOMS EVEN WORSE FROM THE VIRUS.

THE GOOD PART IS, WITH THE VACCINE, IT'S GOING TO DIAL ITSELF BACK AND YOU WILL BE OVER IT IN A DAY OR TWO.

WITH THE VIRUS, NO TELLING.

>> THE OTHER THING I HEAR... WHY BOTHER TO GET VACCINATED IF I CAN STILL GET THE DISEASE ANYWAY?

WHAT DO YOU TELL THE PEOPLE ANYWAY?

>> WELL, THAT'S REALLY-- THAT'S NOT THE BEST WAY TO DO IT BECAUSE TRUE ENOUGH, IF YOU DO GET INFECTED, LET'S SAY AGAIN FOR COVID, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WILL GENERATE ANTIBODIES AND IT WILL PROTECT YOU SHOULD YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH THAT PARTICULAR VARIANT OF COVID.

BUT NOT NECESSARILY PROTECT YOU AGAINST OTHER VARIANTS OF COVID VERSUS WITH VACCINATION, ESPECIALLY NOW WITH THE VACCINE THAT'S OUT, IT PROTECTS YOU NOT ONLY AGAINST THE PREVIOUS OMICRON VARIANTS BUT ALSO THE LATEST VARIANT, THE JN .1 WHICH MAKES UP ABOUT OVER 80% OF THE CROWED COVID INFECTIONS RIGHT NOW.

THE VACCINES THEY HAVE SHOWN PRESENTEDLY WILL HELP PROTECT AGAINST THAT VARIANT AS WELL.

IF YOU GOT INFECTED AND I'M THROWING NUMBERS OUT, YOU KNOW, THE BA 2.86, YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY-- IF YOU GENERATE ANTIBODIES AGAINST THAT, IT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY PROTECT YOU AGAINST THE LATEST VARIANT.

>> SO HOW IS IT THAT WE ARE GETTING INFLUENZA SHOT EVERY YEAR, HOW DO WE KNOW IN THE CASE OF THAT AND COVID THAT WE ARE GETTING THE RIGHT VACCINE BECAUSE THE VACCINE IS BEING DEVELOPED WAY BEFORE THIS STUFF HITS THE SHORES.

>> WELL, YEAH, AND WITH COVID NOW, WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, INSTEAD OF SAYING WE ARE GETTING LIKE BOOSTERS, BECAUSE IF YOU REMEMBER, WE HAD THE INITIAL SERIES AND THEN CERTAIN BOOSTERS.

NOW WE'VE PRETTY MUCH DECIDED COVID IS GOING TO BE HERE-- IT'S GOING TO BE HERE FOR A WHILE.

AND SO THEN WE HAVE TO DEVELOP, LIKE WE DID WITH THE FLU, WE HAVE TO HAVE A YEARLY COVID SHOT.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY ARE LOOKING AT THE VIRUS AND TRYING TO GUESS POTENTIALLY WHAT MUTATIONS MAY BE.

AND THEY JUST MAKE THEIR BEST GUESS LIKE THEY DO WITH THE INFLUENZA VACCINE.

>> YOU KIND OF ALLUDED THAT IN THE WINTER TIME WE ALL KIND OF HUDDLE UP TOGETHER.

WE ARE IN CLOSED SPACES.

WHAT KIND OF PERSONAL HYGIENE RECOMMENDATIONS CAN YOU MAKE SO THAT WE CAN EITHER MINIMIZE TRANSMITTING OR GETTING INFECTED WITH THE VIRUSES?

>> WELL, IF YOU THINK BACK TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH MITIGATING MEASURES THAT WE WERE USING: THE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND ESPECIALLY THE HANDWASHING, OKAY, THAT MAKES A LARGE DIFFERENCE THERE, TOO.

IN ADDITION, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE IN A PLACE WHERE THERE IS GOOD VENTILATION BECAUSE IF THE AIR IS STAG ANT, THEN YOU HAVE DROPLETS THAT CAN POTENTIALLY HANG IN THE AIR FOR A WHILE AND PEOPLE, WHEN THEY'RE BREATHING, THEY CAN ACTUALLY BREATHE THEM IN.

BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST AND I TELL EVERYBODY, VACCINATION IS WHERE YOU SHOULD START.

AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT HYGIENE.

THE BIGGEST THING IS REALLY WASHING HANDS.

KEEPING SURFACES CLEAN.

THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

>> YOU TALKED ABOUT THE AIR DROPLETS.

IT SEEMS LIKE IN SOME AREAS-- I WAS JUST IN WASHINGTON D.C. AND I NOTICED MORE PEOPLE WEARING MASKS BACK THERE.

FEWER PEOPLE WHEN I INDICATE BACK TO KENTUCKY-- WHEN I CAME BACK TO KENTUCKY.

WHERE ARE WE NOW AS FAR AS THE WEARING OF MASKS?

ARE THERE SITUATIONS WHEN WE SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER IT OR JUST UP FOR GRABS?

>> OKAY, THE CDC DOESN'T GIVE SPECIFIC GUIDANCE NOW BECAUSE THE MASK REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN RELAXED.

BUT YOU HAVE TO SORT OF THINK ABOUT THIS-- AND WOULD I RECOMMEND ANYBODY WHO HAS ANY QUESTIONS, TO TALK WITH THEIR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER.

IF YOU ARE IN AN AREA THAT HAS HIGH PREVALENCE, OKAY, THEN OR A SITUATION WHERE YOU MIGHT BE IN A CROWDED AREA, NOT VERY GOOD VENTILATION, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT WEARING A MASK.

I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE WHO ARE ON AIR TRAVEL, THAT MAYBE, ESPECIALLY GOING FOR LONG TRIPS, MAYBE ACROSS COUNTRY TO EUROPE OR WHEREVER, YOU KNOW, REALLY ANY DISTANCE, BUT ESPECIALLY THEN, ALTHOUGH THEY DO HAVE HEPA FILTERS ON THE AIRPLANES, I STILL RECOMMEND WEARING MASKS.

>> WHAT ABOUT TRAINS?

TRAINS AND BUSS?

>> THERE AS WELL, TOO, BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL IN CLOSE CONTACT.

I WOULD RECOMMEND DOING THAT.

AND THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST WEARING A MASK.

>> OKAY.

I WAS SITTING WITH MY MOTHER AND I WAS WATCHING A GAME SHOW LET'S MAKE A DEAL AND I NOTICED THEY HAD PEOPLE SPREAD FAR APART.

HOST NEVER GOT CLOSER TO SIX FEET.

AND THEN ON WHATEVER SHOW WAS-- THEY SAY COME ON DOWN.

>> THE PRICE IS RIGHT.

>> EVERYBODY WAS CRAMMED IN TOGETHER.

SO WHERE ARE WE NOW AS FAR AS AVOIDING CONTACT?

SHOULD WE KEEP THIS DISTANCE?

HOW DOES THATTING WORK-- HOW DOES THAT WORK RIGHT NOW?

>> AT THIS POINT HAVE YOU TO USE YOUR MEDICAL COMMON SENSE.

IF YOU ARE IN AN AREA THAT IS HIVE PREVALENCE, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN YOU ARE SEEING MORE CASES, YOU PLIGHT WANT TO BE A LITTLE MORE PRUDENT.

NOTHING WRONG WITH WEARING A MASK.

>> AND KEEP DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU.

>> IF YOU CAN UNLESS YOU KNOW THEIR VACCINE STATUS.

>> GOTCHA.

WHERE ARE WE AS FAR AS MEDICAL MANAGEMENT FOR RSV, COVID AND INFLEW EANSA.

>>-- INFLEWENCA.

>> IT'S PRIMARILY SUPPORTIVE ALTHOUGH THE ONLY CAVEAT WITH INFLUENZA IS IF YOUR SYMPTOMS ARE CAUGHT WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE DAYS, YOU CAN BE GIVEN THE MEDICATION KNOWN AS TAMIFLU.

>> DOES IT DO ANYTHING FOR YOU?

>> IT DOES DECREASE SYMPTOMS BUT IT HAS BEEN SHOWN-- AND IF YOU TALK WITH MOST PEOPLE, IT WILL DECREASE YOUR SYMPTOMS BY MAYBE A DAY OR SO.

IT DOESN'T TOTALLY ELIMINATE THEM.

>> WHAT ABOUT FOR COVID NOW?

HEARING MORE AND MORE ABOUT PAXLOVI DI.

>> RIGHT NOW FOR COVID IT'S THE ANTIVIRAL.

AND RECOMMEND DECEMBER VEER-- REMDESIVIR ARE THE ONES PRIMARILY USED.

THEY ACTUALLY WILL MAKE A LARGE DIFFERENCE IN A PERSON'S SYMPTOMOLOGY.

>> IS THERE A TIMING ON THAT WHEN YOU SHOULD START TAKING THE MEDICATION?

>> YOU WOULD WANT TO START THAT WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE DAYS.

BUT I CAN TELL FROM YOU MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, PROFESSIONAL OPINION, THAT EVEN IF IT'S DAY 6 OR DAY 7, I WOULD STILL START.

>> IS THERE A POINT WHERE A PERSON WHO IS SYMPTOMATIC, BECAUSE YOU HAVE THAT WINDOW, IS THERE A POINT WHERE THE PERSON IS SYMPTOMATIC WHERE THEY SHOULD SEE THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER AND GET STARTED ON THE MEDICATION?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

>> I WOULD SAY START IMMEDIATELY AND TALK TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU HAVE THESE SYMPTOMS THAT ARE SIMILAR WITH ALL THE VIRUSES, OKAY.

AND THEN IS IT A COLD?

IS IT THE FLU?

IS IT COVID?

WELL, YOU REALLY CAN'T TELL BY THE SYMPTOMS SO YOU HAVE TO BE TEFTED.

MY RECOMMENDATION IS FIRST GET TESTED AND THEN DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS, YOU SHOULD SEE YOUR PROVIDER.

YOU KNOW, IF IT IS JUST A COMMON COLD, AND YOU ARE IMMUNOLOGICALLY IN TACT, MAYBE NOT SO MUCH TRYING TO GET IN TO SEE YOUR PROVIDER BUT IF IT'S COVID, YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD GET IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO GO IT STARTED ON THE ANTIVIRAL TREATMENT.

>> WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DOING THE AT-HOME COVID TESTING?

>> WELL, THE GUIDELINES ARE STILL PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.

THE KITS ARE AVAILABLE.

AND PEOPLE CAN TEST AT HOME.

WHAT IS RECOMMENDED IS IF YOU TEST AND YOU TEST NEGATIVE, YOU SHOULD TEST AGAIN WITHIN 48 HOURS.

>> WHEN SHOULD YOU DO THE FIRST TEST?

>> IMMEDIATELY IF HAVE YOU SYMPTOMS.

AND THEN IF IT'S NEGATIVE,YOU WANT TO RETEST AGAIN IN 48 HOURS BECAUSE YOU MAY BE WITHIN THE WINDOW PERIOD.

BUT DURING THAT TIME, IF YOU ARE STILL FEELING BAD, YOU KNOW, AND YOU MAY WANT TO SORT OF ISOLATE YOURSELF OR WEAR A MASK BECAUSE YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO GET ANYONE ELSE SICK BECAUSE AT THIS POINT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE.

>> I'M AT HOME, I HAVE THE SNIFFLES.

HOME REMEDIES.

SHOULD I TAKE HOME REMEDIES AND WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND?

>> THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH SOME OF THE HOME REMEDIES BECAUSE THEY CAN HELP RELIEVE SOME SYMPTOMS.

I KNOW PEOPLE DRINK TEA WITH HONEY THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

IF THAT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER, THAT'S FINE.

IT'S NOT REALLY GOING AFFECT THE OUTCOME BUT IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER.

>> THAT'S ALL YOU ARE TRYING TO DO ANYWAY.

>> THAT'S ALL YOU ARE TRYING TO DO.

>> FROM WHERE YOU SIT AS THE BIG INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST, WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS THAT MOST OF US MAKE ABOUT THESE VIRUSES?

>> WELL, PROBABLY IN MY EXPERIENCE, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT SO MUCH THE VIRUSES BUT IT'S MORE THE TREATMENTS AND ACTUALLY IF YOU GET DOWN TO THAT, WE ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT VACCINATIONS, THE VACCINES.

THAT'S WHERE THE BIG MISCONCEPTIONS ARE.

>> SO WHERE WE STAND NOW WITH COVID, WHO SHOULD BE GETTING WHAT VACCINES AND WHEN?

I MEAN WHERE DO YOU GO?

SHOULD WE ALL-- HAVE WE MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GETTING OUR LAST SHOTS OR HOW DOES THAT GO?

>> I WOULD RECOMMEND, IF YOU HAVE NEVER HAD A PRIMARY SERIES, THAT YOU GET THAT.

BUT LET'S SAY YOU HAD A PRIMARY SERIES BUT YOU MISSED A COUPLE BOOSTERS.

THAT'S OKAY.

THERE IS A NEW VACCINE THAT HAS BEEN OUT SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2023.

THAT'S THE LATEST VERSION OF THE VACCINE, AND THAT ACTUALLY, IT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE AGAINST THESE OMICRON VARIANTS WHICH ARE THE ONES THE MOST PREVALENT.

PARTICULARLY RIGHT NOW TODAY, IT'S THE JN .1.

>> ININFLUENCE ENSA.

EVERY YEAR, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD THE SHOT TWO YEARS AGO.

>> EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THE VIRUS MUTATES CHT IT CHANGES ITSELF.

EVEN WHEN THEY MAKE THE FLU VACCINE IT'S STILL THE BEST GUESS BUT MOST OF THE VACCINE EF EFFICACY HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE VERY HIGH.

>> AND RSC VACCINES?

>> PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER 60 SHOULD GET IT.

PEOPLE UNDER 60 BUT THIS THEY HAVE CHRONIC CONDITIONS, CHRONIC HEART FAILURE, C.O.P.D., ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO MAKE THEM-- AND PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED.

ANYTHING THAT WHATEVER THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM MAY HAVE BEEN MITIGATED, THEY SHOULD BE TREATED WITH THE VACCINE.

AND OF COURSE THE VERY YOUNG.

THERE ARE GUIDELINES FOR THOSE AS WELL, TOO.

>> I MUST ADMIT, LIKE I SAID AT THE BEGINNING.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT RSV WAS A THING FOR OLDER FOLKS.

I KNEW ABOUT IT IN KIDS BUT I DIDN'T KNOW.

I GUESS I WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION IN THE IMMUNOLOGY CLASS.

>> THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR.

>> THAT'S WHAT THEY ALWAYS SAY AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE ANSWER, GET AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE PERSON.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

AS ALWAYS, YOU PROVIDE GOOD INFORMATION.

>> THANK YOU.

>> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

I HOPE YOU HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRILOGY OF RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS, COVID AND THE FLU AND THE WAYS TO DECREASE YOUR CHANCES OF BECOMING INFECTED AND SERIOUSLY ILL FROM THEM.

IF YOU WISH TO WATCH THIS SHOW AGAIN OR ARCHIVED VERSION OF PAST SHOWS, PLEASE GO TO CLORPG/HEALTH.

IF YOU HAVE-- CLORK/HEALTH.

IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS OR OTHER SHOWS, WE CAN BE REACHED AT KENTUCKY HGHT.

IN THE MEAN TYPE, MAKE SURE YOU ARE WASHING YOUR HANDS.

IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE SOMETHING, WEAR A MASK.

AROUND PEOPLE COUGHING AND SNEEZING, WEAR A MASK AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED, PLEASE GET YOUR VACCINES.

SHEER AVAILABLE FOR YOU.

TAKE CARE AND SEE YOU ON THE NEXT KENTUCKY HEALTH.

>> "KENTUCKY HEALTH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY KENTUCKY.