BALTIMORE — This is not the time for your head to hurt or to start sneezing, or wonder why that pizza has no taste.
There is too much to do. Visits, celebrations and the holidays are here and why do you feel flushed?
Before you head to the airport, or knock on grandma's door, it’s best to ensure you’re keeping you and others around you safe.
"I would say the most important thing at this point is really getting vaccinated if you haven't been vaccinated yet, both for influenza as well as for COVID-19,” said Dr. Lucas Carlson, Physician at MedStar Union Memorial.
Doctor Lucas Carlson says in Baltimore City, COVID numbers have risen 29 percent over the past 14 days, with 109 positive cases.
But it’s not just COVID patients hospitals are filling up with, it’s the "tripledemic" that is spreading across the nation.
"This year, for whatever reason, we're seeing all three viruses come out at once RSV, influenza and COVID-19 and they're all starting to rise,” said Dr. Carlson.
Christmas is almost a week out and while many are planning for those holiday gatherings, some residents in Baltimore say they'd rather play it safe.
"Staying at home, no travel, stay at home that's the only thing you can really do,” said Dosha Fowlkes, Baltimore City resident.
Pavel Bure says he and his family are heading to Disney for Christmas, and is ready to face what might come along with an amusement park holiday.
"Some of us will probably get COVID while we are there, but everyone in my family is vaccinated so I guess we're not too worried about it,” said Bure.
There are currently 876 patients hospitalized due to COVID across the state of Maryland. Raelynn Hargrave says her family isn’t risking the elderly family members becoming one of those numbers.
They’re taking their Christmas gathering to video chat.
"My family is really into like Zoom meetings so sometimes if we can't physically drive to see each other we'll hop on Zoom and they'll be 25 of us just in one Zoom call,” said Hargrave.
Doctor Carlson says it is important to prevent the spread and for those that are heading to big holiday celebrations, to mask up and take a COVID test beforehand.
The Federal Government has re-launched their website for free at home COVID tests which can be ordered here.
