By Leonard E. ColvinChief ReporterNew Journal and GuideThanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are three of Virginians’ favorite holidays as people are joining family and friends to celebrate and party.At the same time, medical officials are sounding the alarm about what they call the “Tri-demic” or ‘Tripledemic, of cases of infections and hospitalizations due to COVID, the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and Influenza.State and federal health officials have recorded an increase in all three since the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, especially Influenza which traditionally surges during the fall and winter. RSV attacks mostly children under 5 years of age, especially those who were born prematurely. In seven states 90 percent of the pediatric beds are filled due to it. The CDC and state officials believe the rate of RSV infection has leveled and slowed down.However, influenza is seeing a sharp spike nationally and in Virginia.The CDC has reported at least 14 children have already died from the flu this year. Hospitalizations from the flu are the highest they’ve been this time of year in a decade.And now, a new COVID surge appears to be erupting, throwing the thirdelement of a dangerous respiratory trifecta into the mix. After percolating at a high plateau for months, the number of people catching COVID and getting so sick that they're ending up in a hospital has started rising again.In the past week, according to the CDC, there has been an expected rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations nationally after the Thanksgiving holiday. This rise in cases and hospitalizations is especially worrisome as people assemble indoors with less ventilation and gather with loved ones across multiple generations.Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters at a briefing last week, that this year's influenza season is well underway with the flu spreading fast in at least 47 jurisdictions. Hospitalizations for flu continue to be the highest we have seen at this time of year in a decade, said Dr. Walensky in a recent briefing, with Reuters.She said the CDC estimates there have been 8.7 million illnesses, 78,000 hospitalizations, and 4,500 deaths from the flu this season.Over 20,000 people were hospitalized last week for the flu, according to the CDC -- nearly double the numbers from the week prior.Dr. Sandra Fryhofer of the American Medical Association fears many family gatherings could turn into super spreader events for all three of the viruses.“Flu is here,” she said. “It started early, and with COVID and RSV also circulating, it's a perfect storm for a terrible holiday season.” Dr. Brooke Rosheim is a Public Health Physician, at the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) Central office in Richmond. Rossheim said while there is the predictable rise in Influenza, COVID, and RSV are seeing spikes as well in all regions, including, Hampton Roads. He said at one point in its height of infection in 2020 over 20,000 cases a day of COVID/Omicron were reported a day in Virginia. But