RICHMOND, Va. — With Thanksgiving just over two weeks away, concerns over walking pneumonia are on the rise.
Health officials say cases of mycoplasma pneumoniae, the bacteria that causes walking pneumonia, have been spreading at unusually high levels, especially in young children — but more adults have also been diagnosed.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the worst rates of the illness are in kids ages 2 to 4 years old.
Dr. Sean McKenna with the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU says the bacteria that causes walking pneumonia acts almost like a viral pneumonia, so kids won’t necessarily have the very high fevers or difficulty breathing associated with traditional pneumonia.
However, he notes they may experience a severe cough for several days, even several weeks.
"Typically, we want you out for at least a day or two until you're feeling better, whether or not you're contagious is always a tricky question," Dr. McKenna said. "When you're coughing, when your nose is running, you're usually trying to find a way to share that virus, that virus wants to be shared. So, lots of hand washing will help. Masking again, I think a lot of us, you know, we don't do general masking anymore, but masking is very protective, very helpful."
When it comes to treating walking pneumonia, the window is very short, Dr. McKenna said.
He notes none of the over-the-counter medicines will actually help, but if they can catch the disease early enough, azithromycin can help ease your symptoms.
"Typically, the treatable portion of the illness is often about that first week, then the cough will linger for, often several weeks, maybe even a month or two," he shared. "So, it's not that if you were sick a month ago and you're still coughing, you need to be seen right away. You're probably fully recovered, and just now have to get through the cough portion."
With Thanksgiving just two-and-a-half weeks away, Dr. McKenna suggests you also consider getting a flu shot and COVID-19 booster vaccine to help reduce your chance of catching or spreading any other illnesses during the holiday season.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Facebook|Instagram|X|Threads|TikTok
EAT IT, VIRGINIA restaurant news and interviews
