KANSAS CITY, Mo. — 2024 is starting off with a rise in respiratory illnesses with hospitals and the Centers for Disease Control reporting cases of RSV, the flu, and COVID.
It's similar to the rise seen around the same time last year, but attitudes toward the illnesses have changed.
KSHB 41 put the question on social media: What's a recent COVID diagnosis really like?
Cat Goodwin answered.
"Three weeks ago, I tested positive on December 11th," she said. "Great, this is not what I need right now."
For some, getting sick with COVID isn't what it used to be.
Treatments, testing, policy, and people's attitudes around the virus have changed.
"I think it doesn't have the stigma that it did," Goodwin said. "And I think people are taking it, 'Oh, I've got this and now I have to do this," Goodwin said.
She has a point.
People are simply more familiar with the virus.
That's backed up by CDC data which shows more than 77% of people in the United States have been infected at some point.
96% of people have some level of COVID antibodies in their blood, either from the virus or the vaccine.
Goodwin says what happens to your body and what you should do about it is no longer a mystery.
"I did everything I was supposed to. I took the Paxlovid. I had all the vaccines," she said.
Doctors say if you do get sick, take it seriously and take care of yourself.
"And I think that goes with flu, cold, RSV, whatever; if you're sick please stay home," Goodwin said.
