Fall is vaccine season; doctors say it's OK to get immunizations for Covid-19 and flu at same time; new RSV vaccine available

The timing of vaccines matters.
(Wall Street Journal illustration, from iStock images)

Covid-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are circulating, so the vaccine season is upon us. To get the maximum protection, start with a game plan.

"Doctors generally suggest getting your flu and Covid shots before the end of October and say it's OK to get both those shots at the same time," reports Sumathi Reddy of The Wall Street Journal. "The most important thing, doctors say, is to get vaccinated. If you're in a doctor's office or a drugstore and can get your shots, it usually makes sense to do it."

For Covid shots, "Sooner rather than later is good. . . especially if you are a senior or immunocompromised," Reddy reports. One exception: Over the summer, there was an increase in Covid cases, and if you've been recently infected, putting off getting a booster for three to six months is wise. "If your level of antibodies is quite high, the booster does very little good. You're kind of wasting your shot," John Wherry, director of the Institute for Immunology at the University of Pennsylvania, told Reddy. 

"The newly approved booster targets the dominant strains now circulating," Reddy notes. "Covid-19 test positivity rates have hovered around 14% for the past month, according to CDC data, up from 4% in June. Covid boosters from Pfizer and Moderna have already rolled out. The Novavax booster is expected later this fall."

The annual flu vaccine is recommended in September or October. "Flu cases usually start ticking up in November and peak in January before trailing off at the end of March," Reddy notes. "If you get sick with the flu before you've been vaccinated, you should still get the vaccine about a month later, he says. That's because the flu vaccine typically protects against four types or strains of influenza."

RSV vaccines are approved for seniors and some pregnant women; doctors say opting to have the vaccines sooner is best, Reddy reports, "because activity is picking up, and RSV tends to peak earlier than the other respiratory viruses, says Wherry. There is also a new RSV drug approved to protect infants. Cases are already starting to increase in the Southeast, according to the CDC."

As you spread the spirit of the holidays, don't spread sickness; shots reduce chance of flu and long Covid-19 by about 50%

By Ben Chandler
President and CEO, Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky

Holiday cheer won’t be the only thing spreading this season. As the weather cools and people start spending more time inside where viruses can easily spread, the risks of illness are high.

This winter, public health officials expect heavy traffic in urgent and primary care offices, increased hospitalizations, and more Kentuckians’ suffering from the long-term effects of Covid-19. More than two dozen school districts across the commonwealth have closed or moved to remote learning due to “widespread illness” already this November.

Kentucky families are dealing with flu, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses. While most healthy people may bounce back in a few days or weeks, older people and those with compromised immune systems are at risk for potential hospitalization and death.

Ben Chandler

Although new Covid-19 variants might not be as deadly, the long-term effects could be devastating. The American Academy of Physical Medicine estimates nearly a half million Kentuckians are suffering from "long Covid." Symptoms include brain fog, problems sleeping, prolonged loss of taste and smell, increased likelihood of depression, heart, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and kidney issues, as well as skin rashes and hair loss. As more research is done, we continue to discover the brutal long-term effects on people.

Now for the good news. We know that Kentuckians who are up to date on their immunizations are less likely to develop long Covid or severe flu. People who have received a Covid-19 vaccine and boosters are 50 percent less likely to develop long Covid if they contract the virus. An Italian study found after a third dose of an mRNA vaccine, the odds of long Covid fell to 16 percent.

A seasonal flu shot reduces a person’s risk of sickness by 40 to 60 percent. That means less chance of having to go to the doctor, taking days off work, or missing family events or your kids’ activities. A 2021 study showed among adults hospitalized with flu, vaccinated patients had a 26 percent lower risk of being admitted to an ICU and a 31 percent lower risk of death from the flu.

Research shows the Covid-19 vaccines and boosters, as well as flu shots, are safe. While some people may have short-term side effect such as a sore arm, headache, or fatigue after receiving their vaccines, the risk of getting sick with Covid or flu without being up to date on immunizations are far greater.

Covid-19 has already taken enough from all of us. Let’s not let it ruin yet another holiday season. We encourage you to have a conversation with your doctor about getting your seasonal boosters. By doing so, you might be able to avoid long hours in crowded urgent care and emergency rooms, hospitalization, or canceled holiday plans with your loved ones.