(Emilie Ritter Saunders / StateImpact Idaho)

Could the United States be headed towards a tripledemic, where we see the flu, COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses, like RSV, spreading at the same time?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, respiratory illnesses are appearing earlier and in more people than recent years, and there’s been an early increase in flu activity across the country as well. Data compiled by ABC News, as of Monday afternoon, showed that pediatric bed occupancy in the U.S. is the highest it’s been in two years, with 75% of an estimated 40,000 beds filled with patients.

So what does all this mean for Idaho? Dr. Davide Pate, former CEO of St. Luke's Health System and current member of the Idaho Coronavirus Task Force, joins us to answer that question.