COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A night on the ice at Acacia Park. Though the Colorado Springs Tigers' girl's hockey team was in for a fun night, it's gatherings like these that can bring unwanted guests, especially in the wintertime.
In fact, Head Coach Dave Hammond told me he just got over a cold.
"It wasn't great, it happens, and I'm back after it, feeling pretty good now," Hammond said.
To the sidelines. When Joe Fanthorp isn't cheering his daughter on, he's back to the classroom, where sickness this time of year is everywhere.
"It ebbs and flows," Fanthorp said. "Surely you put a bunch of kids together in one little space, kids are gonna get sick and they're just gonna pass it all over the place."
Across the Centennial State, flu and RSV appear to be on the rise.
According to Department of Health Statistics, hospitalizations for both illnesses seem to be rising at similar rates, while COVID hospitalizations are stagnant.
"Those viruses are around. People are indoors. Areas can get contaminated when someone is sick," said El Paso County Public Health's co-medical director, Dr. Bernadette Albanese.
Dr. Albanese said this respiratory virus season is tracking similarly to pre-COVID seasons, and explained this seasonal spread of RSV and flu is due to reason's like: people spending more time congregating indoors, and the fact these viruses adapt to spreading more readily in colder weather.
"The membranes of our nose, mouth and throat are colder than... the temperature inside of our body," Dr. Albanese said. "These viruses have learned to readily attach to those membranes and multiply in those cooler temperatures of our nose and throat for this time of the year."
But even outside on the ice, Coach Hammond said keeping his players healthy this time of year is a priority.
"We talk a lot about our health and our diet, and things to keep us healthy. Our bodies are important when playing hockey," Hammond said.
Dr. Albanese said preventive measures against respiratory illnesses have not changed. Staying home when you're sick, covering your mouth to cough or sneeze, and washing your hands are all good tips. She also says it's not to late to vaccinate against these illnesses if you have not already.
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