A seasonal viral stew is brewing with flu, RSV, COVID and more

Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations are now available across the U.S., including at this CVS pharmacy in Palatine, Illinois.

Nam Y. Huh / Nam Y. Huh

As the weather cools down, health officials are gearing up for a new season of sickness. It’s the time for gathering indoors and spreading respiratory viruses.

So what is brewing in the viral stew?

There’s the big three to start: the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19. “These are the three that cause the most utilization of the health care system and the most severe disease,” says Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.