The NewsWorthy – Special Edition: Quademic? This Year’s Sick Season Explained

Host: Erica Mandy
Guest: Dr. Caitlin Jettalina, Epidemiologist
Date: March 1, 2025

Episode Overview

This special NewsWorthy episode dives into what many are calling a “quademic”—a sick season with a simultaneous rise in multiple viruses: flu, RSV, norovirus, and more. Host Erica Mandy brings on Dr. Caitlin Jettalina to help explain why this year is particularly challenging, what we can expect moving forward, how to keep our families safe, and addresses growing concerns about the bird flu (H5N1) in humans, animals, and food safety.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Length and Severity of the 2024-2025 Sick Season

• When will it end?

  • Dr. Jettalina shares the unfortunate news: “It’s going to be a while. We usually see a long tail into March, April, even sometimes May of a lot of sickness out there.” (01:37)
  • She emphasizes that we’re still “in the thick of it.”

• Why is it called a "quademic"?

  • Four or more viruses are circulating, but it’s more complex: “There’s actually far more than four viruses circulating right now, but certainly the most dominant is flu.” (02:08)
  • Healthcare system capacity remains the primary concern.

2. Flu: Why So Bad This Year?

• Triple-hit explanation:
  • Bad flu years happen in cycles due to virus mutation and spread. (03:10)
  • Kid vaccination rates have dropped—from 60% in 2019 to 44% this year. (03:10)
  • This year's vaccine is only about 35% effective—a significant drop from normal (50-60%). “The match between the flu virus that’s circulating and the vaccine formula … is just okay.” (03:10)
• Should you still get the flu shot?
  • “I got this year’s flu vaccine. And even if it’s not the best match, it’s still one of the best defenses we have against this virus.” (04:00)
  • It's not too late to get vaccinated: “The flu curve tail is usually very long, and we still have a lot of flu season to get through.” (04:00)

3. RSV and Norovirus Trends

• RSV:
  • “RSV is actually one of the most dangerous diseases for kiddos under five, especially those under six months.” (04:30)
  • Severity in adults is usually less, but symptoms can linger.
• Norovirus:
  • “It came in hot this year…very contagious…very hard to kill.” Only bleach and soap/water (not hand sanitizer) are effective. (05:09 & 05:55)
  • “It’s finally starting to come down. It’s still definitely out and around, but there is some reprieve on the horizon.” (06:08)

4. Prevention, Testing, and Returning to School

• Prevention:
  • “Wear an N95 mask...they work against viruses.” (06:21)
  • Ventilation/filtration helpful at home, especially with a sick child. (06:56)
• Testing:
  • “I don’t think you have to test what viruses is because ultimately it doesn’t really change what you’re going to do.” (07:49)
  • Testing can guide use of treatment options like Tamiflu (flu) or Paxlovid (COVID).
• When to send kids back:
  • “Fever is highly correlated with infectiousness. So 24 hours after a fever for flu is actually a really good marker.” (08:16)
  • For COVID, symptoms aren’t as clear; monitor lethargy and other visible illness.

5. Building Immunity: Silver Lining?

• Children do not need repeated infections to be healthy:
  • “Now we have vaccines and that could be their first exposure too...We don't have to get sick though to be healthy.” (09:14)
  • Everyday environmental exposures also help maintain immune system readiness.

6. Bird Flu (H5N1): Current Risk and Outlook

• Are current flu cases really bird flu?
  • No: “CDC randomly takes those tests and then tests them against H5N1 and they’re just not lighting up...it’s mostly the normal seasonal flu strains.” (13:05)
• Impact on animals and agriculture:
  • “H5N1…continues to spread incredibly rapidly among dairy cow as well as wild birds and poultry.” (14:01)
  • “We have seen about 70 humans get infected, a few with very severe disease…one person who died after touching their backyard flock.” (14:01)
  • Human-to-human transmission is not happening: if that changes, risk for a pandemic increases.
  • High animal death rates lead to egg shortages and higher prices.
• Pandemic potential?
  • “The probability of a pandemic is still very low. It’s about 5% right now.” (15:24)
• Food safety:
  • “Grocery store eggs are safe…Pasteurized milk is safe. Raw milk certainly has risks to it…our beef is still safe, too.” (16:00)
• Pet safety:
  • “Cats…drinking raw milk…on these dairy farms are dropping dead very quickly.” (17:12)
  • If an outdoor cat becomes very sick, contact a veterinarian.
• Backyard bird feeders:
  • “Birds that gather at feeders like cardinals and sparrows and bluebirds, they actually don’t typically carry H5N1, so it’s not recommended to remove your backyard bird feeders for now unless you also care for poultry.” (18:05 & 18:05)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the length of sick season:
  “Unfortunately, it’s going to be a while…We usually see a long tail into March, April, even sometimes May…” – Dr. Caitlin Jettalina (01:37)

• On vaccines:
  “Even if it’s not the best match, it’s still one of the best defenses we have against this virus.” – Dr. Caitlin Jettalina (04:00)

• On prevention fatigue:
  “I think everyone’s tired of hearing about masks, but they work against viruses.” – Dr. Caitlin Jettalina (06:21)

• On testing:
  “Ultimately it doesn’t really change what you’re going to do. You need to stay home and drink fluids and rest.” – Dr. Caitlin Jettalina (07:49)

• On bird flu risk:
  “The probability of a pandemic is still very low. It’s about 5% right now. That means a 95% chance that nothing happens with H5N1.” – Dr. Caitlin Jettalina (15:24)

Key Timestamps

• 01:37: When will sick season end?
• 02:08: What “quademic” really means
• 03:10: Why flu is so bad this year
• 04:00: Should you still get the flu vaccine?
• 04:30: RSV trends and risks
• 05:09: Norovirus severity and surface cleaning advice
• 06:21: Preventive actions (masks, ventilation)
• 07:49: Should you test for specific viruses?
• 08:16: When to send sick kids back to school
• 09:14: The upside (or not) of kids getting sick
• 13:05: Is bird flu responsible for flu surge?
• 14:01: Bird flu spread in animals and humans
• 15:24: Pandemic potential for H5N1
• 16:00: Food safety (eggs, milk, beef)
• 17:12: Outdoor cats, bird flu, and pet risks
• 18:05: Bird feeders and backyard biosecurity
• 18:38: Host’s wrap up and closing thoughts

Final Takeaways

• This “quademic” season is projected to persist well into spring, potentially May.
• Flu is the dominant virus this season, worsened by lower childhood vaccination rates and a so-so vaccine match.
• Prevention isn’t futile: N95 masks and air filtration can help, and it's not too late to get a flu shot.
• Bird flu is impacting animal agriculture but remains a low (though not zero) threat to humans.
• Grocery eggs and pasteurized milk are safe; avoid raw milk and contact with sick/dead birds or outdoor cats acting ill.
• While sick season is hard on families, it will eventually end—until then, self-care and commonsense precautions matter most.

For more practical science insights from Dr. Caitlin Jettalina, visit her “Your Local Epidemiologist” newsletter at yourlocalepidemiologist.co.