Gov. Kathy Hochul announced last week that flu season has gone up in New York state, with hospitalizations up to 30% statewide.

And with holiday traveling in full swing, health officials say the flu could spread even quicker, and a runny nose and sore throat may just be the beginning.

What You Need To Know

  • Officials say flu season hospitalizations are up 30% across New York state

  • Holiday travel could risk the spread of illnesses like the flu, RSV or COVID-19

  • Flu and COVID vaccines are recommended for everyone, while RSV vaccines are recommended for those over the age of 60 and for children 19 months and younger

“It’s another gift for the holidays we don’t want, but it's pretty typical seeing it this time of year,” said Dr. Louis Papa, professor of clinical medicine at the University of Rochester.

As New Yorkers prepare for the holidays, residents must prepare for flu season.

"[It is] mainly because everybody gathers," Papa said. "You know you’re among family, there’s a lot of hugging, there’s a lot of kissing [and] there’s a lot of close space. That's all these viruses really need is proximity and opportunity.”

But the flu isn’t the only thing filling up emergency rooms, with RSV and COVID-19 still something to look out for this holiday season.

“That fills up the emergency rooms in the hospital pretty quickly and as that's happening that's kind of the tip of the iceberg," Papa said. "The majority of the flu and RSV and COVID is out in the community where people kind of suffer with it at home."

Which is why Papa is reminding everyone of the important role vaccines play this time of year.

“Vaccines are probably one of the best frontline defenses because they not only reduce your chance of getting sick, they reduce the chance of you getting someone else sick," he said.

And he says residents should take other precautions, especially when traveling or out in public.

“Lots of hand washing and when you’re traveling in large crowds, masks help reduce the chance of you getting something and passing something to somebody else,” Papa said.

The bigger concern is not necessarily which virus you contract, but the people you may give it to.

"It's probably more dependent on who I worry about rather than the virus I worry about," he said. "I worry about older folks, sicker folks [and] little kids, people with lots of medical problems and immunocompromised states.”