The season of goodwill is delivering a less generous offering this year: a choking wave of respiratory misery that is flooding clinics and filling hospitals across the Garden State.
Maps from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the region is awash in a lurid palette of red and orange, indicating a viral revolt coinciding precisely with our annual pilgrimage to the mall and the party buffet.
It seems the most contagious thing in New Jersey right now is not holiday spirit, but a profound and collective lapse in common sense. It is known for spreading easily from person to person and comes with very unpleasant symptoms.
Health officials report a surge in influenza, COVID-19, and RSV, fueled by the intimate gatherings and commercial frenzies that define the end of our year.
A potent norovirus strain is spreading across the United States months earlier than usual, signaling a severe season for the gastrointestinal illness often called “winter vomiting disease.” Data indicates the surge, driven by a new dominant variant, began in mid-October.
The variant, known as GII.17, now accounts for roughly three-quarters of outbreaks after being rare just a year ago. This rapid shift means most people have little built-up immunity against it, leading to potentially more severe and widespread illness. Scientists note the emergence of such a new, dominant strain was anticipated, as historical patterns show a shift every seven to ten years.
This norovirus causes particularly intense symptoms, including forceful vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dangerous dehydration. Young children, adults over 65, and those with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk. The virus spreads with alarming ease through contaminated food, surfaces, and direct contact.
With no vaccine available, rigorous hygiene is the only defense. Health officials emphasize that hand sanitizer is ineffective against norovirus; vigorous handwashing with soap and water is crucial. Cleaning contaminated surfaces with a bleach solution and avoiding food preparation while sick are also essential to limit transmission.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu activity in the U.S. has recently increased by at least 7%, with nearly 2 million illnesses, 19,000 hospitalizations, and 730 deaths reported so far.
These are not abstractions. They are the empty chairs at holiday tables.
The numbers read less like statistics and more like an indictment. New Jersey recorded more than 2,000 flu cases in November alone, a figure that towers over the 542 reported at the same time last year and nearly doubles that of 2023.
Last year, the U.S. saw an extremely severe flu season, with 560,000 hospitalizations and approximately 38,000 deaths from the flu, the CDC reported in September.
The predominant flu strain that is currently circulating the most in the U.S. is the subclade K variant.
“The strain that is circulating most … subclade K, which is a variant of H3N2, seems to have a little bit more severe symptoms and maybe more severely affects the elderly and children,” said Dr. Tara Narula, a board-certified cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan.
Consider the case of Jayme Bundy, a South Jersey native who recently returned to wrapping gifts after a punishing bout with COVID-19.
“It was almost like I was having an out-of-body experience,” Bundy said, a sentiment that might also describe the state of a society watching cases soar while doing little to stop the spread of infections.
Bundy fell ill with fever and congestion immediately after Thanksgiving, a direct consequence of her work among hundreds of fellow citizens at the Cherry Hill Mall.
She is now a reluctant sentinel, noting that five of her coworkers are also sick.
“Everybody’s sick right now,” she said, with the plain-spoken truth of someone standing in a downpour.
The medical view from the front lines is no more comforting. Dr. Martin Topiel of Virtua Health confirms the obvious with professional restraint.
“We are seeing patients with flu being hospitalized at this point, and we do have concerns about that,” he said.
The recipe for this surge, Topiel notes, is simple: combine holiday travel, crowded parties, colder weather, and stir vigorously.
Yet, a critical ingredient is missing. Vaccination rates are lagging, and while this year’s influenza vaccine may be a less perfect shield, it remains a vital one.
“The vaccine should still be effective, reducing hospitalization incidents, reducing the seriousness of the infection,” Topiel said, a plea echoing in a crowded room where many have forgotten how to listen.
There is a dark irony here, worthy of a riverboat philosopher. We deck the halls and light the candles in the name of togetherness, only to gift each other with pathogens in tightly packed boxes of retail and revelry.
We are a species that can map a virus in real-time across three states, but cannot seem to navigate the simple logic of a shot in the arm or a mask on a face when in a throng.
The advice from doctors remains steadfast, and frustratingly simple: it is not too late to vaccinate. Those at high risk are advised to take precautions in crowded indoor spaces—advice as perennial as the tinsel, and often as heeded.
So the malls will remain brightly lit temples to our annual devotion, and the parties will continue their cheerful clamor. And the viruses, indifferent to tradition or sentiment, will continue their efficient work, passed like a forbidden toast from one person to the next.
Jayme Bundy’s house is ready for more festivities now, and she hopes to avoid further illness.
One wishes her, and all of us, luck. For it appears we are determined to test, once again, whether the force of human habit can outlast the fact of a very sneezy, feverish, and relentless natural world.
Practicing good hygiene is always important, especially if you or those nearby are sick. Remember to wash your hands well, cover your cough, stay hydrated, and support your immune system with healthy eating.
While most common illnesses tend to pass on their own, it’s best to see a doctor right away if your symptoms get worse.