It’s October and it’s time to get your flu shot. Medical experts recommend getting a flu vaccine early, before the flu begins to spread widely, and also staying informed about its protection against other fall respiratory viruses, according to the AP. Updated COVID-19 vaccines are available now, as well as vaccines for people who are particularly vulnerable to another winter risk called RSV. While these infections make some people miserable for a few days before recovering, each year the flu alone causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations in the United States and kills tens of thousands.
Vaccination is not “a guarantee that we will prevent disease. But just like the seat belt in your car, it reduces the risk” of the worst consequences, explains Dr. Ryan Stanton of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Advice on fall vaccines generally comes from the CDC and its independent advisory committee. But this year, that panel, which influences state vaccine and insurance policies, is locked in a legal battle, and the CDC has not updated its guidance on the flu. Today, physician groups are picking up the slack: The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America have published vaccination guidelines for their patient populations, as well as scientific evidence about them.
Almost everyone ages 6 months and older needs a flu shot, medical societies agree. But the flu is especially dangerous for people 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and people of all ages with chronic health problems, including asthma, diabetes, heart disease and a weakened immune system. The past two flu seasons have resulted in an unusually high number of child deaths, the vast majority of them unvaccinated children. Vaccines don’t block all flu infections, but they help prevent the worst outcomes, reducing hospitalizations of older people by 31% last year, according to the Vaccine Integrity Project.
COVID-19 vaccines were once recommended for just about everyone by federal health agencies, but like last year, the FDA only officially approved them for people at higher risk, namely people aged 65 and older, or younger people with at least one health condition that increases their risk. Still, family doctors recommend that all adults get the COVID-19 vaccine, especially older adults and those with other risk factors. Adults 65 and older should receive one dose in the fall, then a second dose six months later as immunity wanes over time, one doctor notes. More information here on where and when exactly to get vaccinated.
Gn Health
