In the last two weeks, UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center reported identifying 96 positive influenza cases, 30 cases of COVID-19, and 30 respiratory syncytial virus cases.
These numbers only account for what has been processed through the hospital's lab and do not include at-home tests or those who have not been tested at all.
According to Lauren Bryan, the infection prevention program manager at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, the surge of sickness came to the Yampa Valley right on schedule.
"Only about a quarter of the flu cases are Routt or Moffat residents," said Bryan. "This means they're mostly from out of town and out of state. I do anticipate there will be further spread."
According to Bryan, this season's flu vaccine is an "excellent match" and specifically targets two different strains of the Influenza A virus that are currently spreading.
"Even if you do get influenza, you'll get a much milder case if you have the vaccine," said Bryan.
Bryan said about half of the identified positive COVID-19 and RSV cases in the Yampa Valley are residents of Routt and Moffat counties, but the other half are also from out of town.
Rhinovirus, otherwise known as the common cold, is also spreading in the community. However, according to Byran, its numbers are "being dwarfed" compared to flu, COVID-19 and RSV rates.
Bryan also stated that Norovirus has been appearing again, and to be wary of its incredibly contagious nature.
"(Norovirus) is not completely killed by hand sanitizer," said Bryan. "It's something that you have to wash your hands to get rid of. It can be hard during the holiday season where there's a lot of sharing of food and giving people gifts because it's really contagious."
UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center is currently conducting "fluvid" tests, which screen for Influenza A and B, COVID-19 and RSV all through one test, according to Bryan.
Because symptoms of COVID-19 can look similar to the flu and RSV, a "fluvid" test allows medical professionals to identify an illness so patients can seek proper care.
"The symptoms of COVID have evolved so much over the years," said Bryan. "There's a lot a variability. If you're not feeling well, put on a mask and seek care. It's important that you be tested for all three viruses because there's no way to distinguish based on symptoms."
Getting tested for the three viruses pushes people down the path to getting healthy. After testing positive for influenza, patients can be prescribed Tamiflu, a medicine that shortens the severity and length of flu symptoms.
Bryan also stated that there are treatments available for those who test positive for COVID-19 and are at "high risk for developing severe disease."
To stay healthy through the season, Bryan recommends consistent and thorough hand washing and social distancing when necessary.
"If someone is coughing or sneezing around you, give them about 6 feet of space," she said. "For instance, when I'm at the grocery store, I'm not going to stay close to the guy in front of me at checkout and try to cram my stuff on the belt. I'm going to give him space."
For parents with children in school, Bryan advises consistent hand washing, keeping dishes clean and avoiding sharing food and drinks.
As peak tourism season continues, Bryan expects the current spike in flu, COVID-19 and RSV cases to decrease in the coming weeks.
"There's high flu activity in the southern states of the U.S. right now, which are where a lot of our travelers are coming from. Those areas should be on a similar trajectory as us," said Bryan. "In terms of bringing it back in the spring, that will depend on the volume of the influx of travelers."
Bryan encourages all those eligible to stay updated on flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines to prevent serious illness and hospitalization.
"Anyone who has had influenza knows that it's really miserable and causes people to have to take a lot of time off of work or school," said Bryan. "Nobody has a bunch of PTO lying around to burn on being sick, you know?"