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'Tis the season to be... sick? Texans battling allergies and numerous illnesses this holiday season

Officials say as more people gather for the holidays, a variety of illnesses have a higher potential of spreading.

AUSTIN, Texas — Many people are feeling under the weather this holiday season.

Doctors and state health officials are seeing many more respiratory illnesses going around during this time of year.

Whether it's coughing, sneezing or runny noses, Chris Van Deusen with the Texas Department of State Health Services says there're no shortages of bugs going around right now.

"Flu and COVID have been on an uptick the last few weeks," said Van Deusen.

Most of what's going around is pretty familiar.

"Flu is really increased quite a bit. RSV, which is the other one, you know, kind of the one of the big three that we talk about this time of year kind of looks to have peaked several weeks ago," Van Deusen said.

These three aren't the only viruses in the mix, though. Van Deusen says as more people gather for the holidays, a variety of illnesses can spread.

"Something, like norovirus which can be spread ... through food or through people ... not not being as attentive as they should be toward handwashing and those kinds of things," said Van Deusen.

When it comes to the flu, most doctors recommend getting vaccines towards the tail end of August into the early part of September. A shot could still help keep someone healthy in the new year.

"It's not too late. It takes a couple of weeks ... for your body, for your immune system to ramp up after you get a vaccine like COVID or like flu," Van Deusen said.

Adding in the infamous Cedar Fever here in Texas and other illnesses going around, it's always best to keep a proper distance and your hands washed.

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