Health experts are raising concerns about a “highly likely” surge in respiratory viruses, including flu and COVID-19, among the public after the holiday season.

Dr. William Schaffner, the director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and a professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told CNN that respiratory viruses are “highly likely” to spread after large gatherings.

“These are highly contagious viruses — and people have generally put COVID-19 and COVID vaccination behind them. They haven’t been all that attentive to flu. They’re not wearing masks,” Schaffner said. “And if you’re close together with other people, it’s an opportunity for all three of these viruses — flu, COVID, and even RSV — to spread from one person to another. So, we do expect a post-holiday surge in these viruses.”

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