Published Jul 3, 2021

More People Are Battling Respiratory Viruses Now That Masks Are Coming Off: How Cancer Patients & Survivors Can Stay Healthy

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The Rise of Respiratory Viruses

Respiratory viruses, which typically appear mainly in winter months, have become a problem for many people across the country.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a respiratory disease that’s easily passed from person to person, so the increase of cases likely has been caused by crowds gathering again.
An expert tells SurvivorNet that he encourages cancer patients and survivors to still wear their masks and social distance in order to protect themselves from the virus.

As more people come out of isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic, more health problems are arising as a result of unmasking and attending long-anticipated social gatherings. Respiratory viruses, which typically appear in winter months, have become a problem for many people across the country. SurvivorNet breaks down this virus and how cancer patients and survivors can stay safe and healthy.

Hospitals in Southern states especially have been experiencing a significantly larger number of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases. This respiratory disease is easily passed from person to person, so the increase of cases likely has been caused by crowds gathering again.

“We are seeing higher rates of RSV in our hospital,” Dr. Brandon Blue, a hematologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, tells SurvivorNet. “I believe it is likely due to the spread from kids and sporting events… Kids are likely taking this RSV infection, which was once thought as a winter bug, and spreading it to parents and grandparents making the cases rise. Also as you can see sporting events are now at maximum capacity which will allow for the spread of this common RSV virus at an even faster pace.”

Dr. Brieze Keeley Bell explains when cancer patients should stay at home or call their doctor

Another concern facing both cancer patients and others is the Delta variant of COVID-19 that is appearing in the United States. This variant of the virus has landed in all 50 states across the country, and is spreading rapidly due to uneven vaccination rates in different states and more people opting to unmask in public and in large groups. Due to rising RSV cases and the presence of the Delta variant across the country, experts encourage that those battling cancer or who are immunocompromised to still wear masks.

“I have been advising my patients due to the rise in RSV and the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus that they should continue to wear masks regardless of the local restrictions or lack of restrictions,” Dr. Blue says. “Many of the patients I see are immunocompromised, and have a low immune system and can’t fight off viruses even common ones such as RSV and many end up hospitalized from it.”

Cancer & Viruses: What To Know

At the start of the pandemic, those battling cancer and cancer survivors were heavily encouraged to stay home whenever possible and strictly follow CDC guidelines. This is because cancer treatment (such as chemotherapy) can significantly impact the immune system which makes it harder to fight infections. This immunocompromised state could lead to a stay in the hospital if you contract a virus or other illness. This being the case, it’s extremely important to be vigilant about your health.

Experts have advised the SurvivorNet community to continue social distancing as much as possible, but that doesn’t mean you should delay necessary cancer screenings or procedures. Over months of the pandemic, hospitals and doctors have learned to adjust to guidelines in order to ensure facilities are kept sanitized and will not compromise visitors’ health.

Dr. Elizabeth Comen explains why cancer screenings should continue during COVID-19

“Fortunately, we have a little bit of a better hold on how to protect patients," Dr. Elizabeth Comen previously told SurvivorNet, "How to disinfect, how to clean in between patients and scatter so that we're not crowding our waiting rooms, it's really, really important to remember to talk to your doctor about your screening mammogram or any other preventative tests that you may need. We know that cancer prevention works, and what we don't want is a huge fallout because of COVID that patients are so afraid to leave their home that they're missing their most important tests, like their screening mammogram."

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