Respiratory illnesses are reportedly on the rise in Colorado, including COVID-19, RSV, and the flu. And with indoor holiday gatherings expected to fuel a spike in cases nationwide, medical experts are warning that hospitals could once again be stretched thin.

According to a new poll from KFF, half of U.S. adults are no longer taking precautions to prevent COVID infections, such as wearing masks.

As of this week, there were 267 people hospitalized in the state for COVID, the third-highest number seen all year and well below the peak of 1,847 in December 2020.

Beyond COVID, RSV and flu hospitalizations have also been trending up in recent weeks. This has prompted state health officials to launch a new campaign to boost immunization rates for all three illnesses.

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Colorado Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera held a roundtable discussion Wednesday with COVID patients and healthcare providers to address the impacts of long COVID and the steps being taken to combat the disease.

And speaking of long COVID, it is estimated that between 250,000 to 600,000 Coloradans are currently battling the lingering effects of the virus, called Post-COVID Syndrome. This can include symptoms such as:

• fatigue

• brain fog

• shortness of breath