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Viruses still spreading during the summer, Arkansas doctors say

For most families, summertime means enjoying the outdoors. That’s usually not an issue, but doctors say viruses are lingering longer than usual this summer.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — For most families, summertime means getting outside with friends and going to camp.

That's usually not an issue, but this year, it could mean the chance of catching something.

The sounds of summer usually mean kids playing at the pool or at the park, but there's also something unusual for this time of year: sneezing and sniffles.

"Yeah, I just noticed we are passing it back and forth to each other," Michael Howard said. "We are kind of running a fever, sinus issues and I feel like it's kind of going into our chest."

Howard is a mom who took her daughters to the park on Wednesday. One daughter started to feel sick and went home early. 

"Well, other than us kind of passing back and forth... a cold or whatever it is, it's been pretty good," Howard said. "The weather has been pretty decent."

But Arkansas doctors are saying respiratory illnesses are spreading right now.

All For Kids Pediatrician Joshua Lyon said he still sees several patients with respiratory viruses, like COVID-19 and pneumonia.

"I think a lot of our days, we are seeing at least half of our kids coming in for respiratory illnesses," Lyon said. "Usually, we do maybe one breathing treatment over the course of a week during the summer, and we are probably doing two or three a day."

It's recommended that you protect yourself from these viruses by washing your hands thoroughly and often, covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze and staying home if you are sick, especially if you have a fever.

Lyon added that there is still some pollen that could be affecting allergies and asthma, but because viruses are spreading more rapidly, don't assume a sneeze or cough is due to allergies alone.

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