Milwaukee City Wire

Wisconsin State Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) is taking a stand against the “triple-demic” threat now sweeping the country, by preaching vaccination.

"Triple-demic" refers to the triple threat this winter of COVID-19, influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

“We are in the midst of one of the worst flu surges on record, and a big reason why is not enough of us are being vaccinated,” Larson tweeted Dec. 8. “Just 25% of adults and 40% of children have received a flu shot, and 15% of adults eligible for an updated COVID booster have taken one.”

According to NewsNation, the number of COVID-19, RSV and flu cases have all continued to rise and hospitalizations from the flu are also surging. The CDC said that nearly three million people have already contracted the virus this season, resulting in more than 23,000 of them landing in the hospital and at least 1,300 having succumbed to some sort of infection related to the illness.

"Hospitalizations for flu continue to be the highest we've seen for this time of year in a decade," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told ABC 7 News. "If you do get sick, present yourself to your provider for early care. There are good antivirals to treat both flu and COVID-19."

In any event, CNBC reports that the strain of the flu appears to be associated with more severe illness for the elderly and young children, leading to twice the national hospitalization rate for both of these age groups.