August 25, 2022 – Respiratory season always comes with many questions and a few surprises. The 2022-2023 season promises to be no exception. For starters, the effects of COVID-19 will linger. In May the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that one in five COVID-19 survivors aged 18–64 years and one in four survivors aged 65 and older experienced at least one condition that might be attributable to previous COVID-19 four weeks or longer after experiencing acute symptoms. Among all ages, the highest risks in the study were for acute pulmonary embolism and respiratory symptoms.
The 2022-2023 season may deal some wild cards as well, like avian influenza (HPAI) Asian (H5N1). Sporadic human infections with HPAI Asian H5N1 virus resulting from direct or close contact with infected sick or dead poultry are expected to continue to occur, and some of those cases will likely be fatal, according to CDC. Person-to-person transmission has been very rare, but should the virus recombine with human influenza A viruses, an influenza pandemic could result.
Read what sales challenges Repertoire readers expect to face this respiratory season.