Fall and winter are quickly approaching, and your calendar will quickly fill up with school activities, sporting events, and holiday parties. No one wants to miss a game because of illness. The best way to protect you and your family from serious illness is to make sure everyone is up to date on their vaccinations.
The annual flu and coronavirus vaccines are now available and are designed to combat the viruses expected to spread this winter. For the first time, we have found a way to protect older adults and infants from infection with RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus. It’s also safe and effective to take all three photos at once or take them separately, whichever is more convenient for you.
Vaccines are available at local pharmacies, municipal health centers and your healthcare provider’s office. Find a COVID-19 vaccine near you, or visit the vaccination website for the latest information on what vaccine is available in your area. If you are having trouble finding a vaccine, check out our previous blog post.
Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are part of the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program and continue to be provided free of charge to all children under 18 years of age. For adults, the vaccine will be covered by insurance. The uninsured and underinsured can still get the COVID-19 vaccine through the Bridge Access Program, a federal program that allows people without insurance to get the vaccine for free.
We wouldn’t be the Department of Health if we didn’t urge everyone in Philadelphia to stay up to date on all the vaccines for which you are eligible. The more Philadelphians get vaccinated against winter viruses, the less likely we are to get seriously ill or worse and end up hospitalized. Read on to learn which vaccines you need to schedule for yourself and your loved ones.
Updated COVID-19 Vaccine
Everyone 6 months and older is eligible to receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine if at least two months have passed since the last COVID-19 vaccination. People who have recently been infected with coronavirus may consider waiting three months before getting vaccinated. Learn more about recommendations for various ages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
People over 65, pregnant women and infants, and people with certain chronic conditions are at higher risk for hospitalization. However, recent research shows that children and adults who are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines are less likely to need emergency room care or urgent care. The COVID-19 vaccine is very safe. Billions of vaccine doses have been safely administered around the world.
Flu vaccine
Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months and older. Most hospitalizations due to influenza occur in young children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Although people with chronic illnesses are at greater risk, healthy adults can still be hospitalized, and about one-third of children hospitalized with the flu are otherwise healthy. Unfortunately, healthy children and adults die from the flu every year. If you get the flu, this year’s flu vaccine is expected to reduce your chance of hospitalization by about 50%.
RSV protection
For people over 60
This year, two new RSV vaccines are available for adults over 60: Abrysvo and Arexvy. Although these vaccines are new, they work similarly to other vaccines, such as the hepatitis B vaccine, which has been available for more than 30 years. These vaccines are highly effective at preventing hospitalizations in this age group. If you are over 60 years old, you should discuss with your health care provider whether you would benefit from this vaccine. This vaccine will provide protection for at least two years and possibly longer. RSV season has been unpredictable over the past few years, talk to your provider about the RSV vaccine today.
for pregnant women
Abrysvo is also recommended for pregnant women in the third trimester (32-36 weeks). Although pregnant women are not at increased risk of severe RSV disease, their newborns are. By getting vaccinated, pregnant women can protect their newborn babies until they are about 6 months old. Studies have shown that this vaccine is very effective in preventing hospitalization of infants infected with RSV.
For babies and toddlers
Beyfortus monoclonal antibody is recommended for infants whose parents were not vaccinated against RSV during pregnancy. This is a one-time shot recommended for all babies younger than 8 months old and for some babies 8 to 24 months old because these babies are at higher risk of serious illness from RSV. This immunization is highly effective (80 to 90 percent) in preventing hospitalization and severe illness from RSV, the leading cause of hospitalization in children under one year old. Premature infants and infants with chronic medical conditions are particularly vulnerable to serious illness, but most hospitalizations occur in healthy children under 6 months of age. Beyfortus is easily tolerated by infants and young children and has no serious side effects.
This is a busy time of year. Don’t risk getting sick. Stay up to date on all vaccine information and enjoy all that Philadelphia has to offer and the upcoming winter holidays.