With flu season upon us and COVID on the move, it’s time to think about getting your updated COVID-19 and seasonal influenza shots for 2024-2025.
Health officials remain concerned about the triple threat of COVID, seasonal influenza and (respiratory syncytial virus) RSV and other respiratory viruses during the upcoming holiday season.
Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials advise that everyone ages six months and older should get an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.
It’s especially important to get your 2024-2025 COVID vaccine as soon as possible if you are age 65 or older, if you are at high risk for severe COVID-19, or if you have never received a COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine helps protect you from severe disease, hospitalization and death, according to CDC information.
Influenza-like illness activity is at a minimal level in West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania and at a low level in Virginia. But some cases of COVID, flu and pneumonia have been reported locally.
Hospital cases
War Memorial Hospital Emergency Room Manager Chris Parsons said that they’ve been seeing everything in the emergency room the past few weeks-flu, COVID-19 and pneumonia, along with some bronchitis, strep and colds. There have been some hospitalizations from pneumonia, she noted.
The number of cases hasn’t increased but have remained about the same, she said. They haven’t seen as much RSV.
Parsons encouraged good hand-washing and wearing a mask if you feel you have the flu or COVID. Symptoms to watch for include coughs, fevers and body aches.
River Bend Family Medicine
Medical assistant Lindy Morris from River Bend Family Medicine said that they’ve been seeing more bronchitis and pneumonia the past few weeks and have had a couple of flu and COVID-19 cases.
The pneumonia cases hadn’t had COVID or the flu first, but came in with pneumonia.
The practice has also had patients with strep, sinus infections and regular colds, which is typical for this time of year, Morris said. Cases haven’t been over and above the previous year at this time. They have not had any RSV cases.
Vaccines
Health officials urge everyone to get an updated COVID-19 booster shot and their annual seasonal influenza vaccine now. Everyone that’s six months of age or older should get a flu vaccine, according to the CDC. Pneumonia vaccines are recommended for children and adults of all ages.
The CDC also advises the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for people ages 60-74 who are at increased risk and for everyone age 75 and older. It’s advised to get the updated COVID vaccine with your updated flu shot.
Consult your doctor about what are the best flu and pneumonia vaccine options for you and your family.
Updated COVID and flu vaccines, and RSV and pneumonia shots are available now at local pharmacies, health departments and physician’s offices. Check with your pharmacist or doctor about whether you need a pneumonia or RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) shot.
Stay up-to-date
The CDC notes that COVID vaccine protection decreases over time so it’s important to stay up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccine.
Individuals that have recently had COVID-19 can delay getting a COVID-19 vaccine for three months. Reasons to get a COVID vaccine sooner than later could be a personal risk of severe COVID-19, risk of COVID in a family or household member or other close contact, or local levels of COVID-19 illness.
Flu
Vaccination is extremely important especially for those who are at high risk of serious complications from seasonal influenza. The CDC recommends that seniors age 65 or older get one of the higher-dose flu vaccines for better protection against the flu, if available.
Flu vaccines provide protection from influenza and prevent flu-related complications, missed work and school and many flu-related hospitalizations and deaths each year.
Flu symptoms, complications
Influenza symptoms usually are fever, cough or sore throat and can also include headache, fatigue, runny or stuffy nose, chills or body aches. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can also occur, especially in children.
Influenza can cause serious complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis and sinus and ear infections. Complications can require hospitalization and become life-threatening or fatal. Influenza can also worsen chronic medical conditions such as asthma or congestive heart disease.
High-risk
Individuals at high risk of developing flu complications include children under age 5, especially those under age 2, adults over 50 years old, especially those 65 years of age and older, pregnant women and nursing home and long-term care facility residents.
Others at high risk include those with asthma, chronic lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, kidney or liver disorders and those with weakened or suppressed immune systems.
Seasonal influenza vaccination is very important for those at high risk of flu-related complications, for caretakers and family members of those individuals and health care personnel.
COVID symptoms
Possible symptoms of COVID-19 include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea.
Emergency warning signs for COVID include trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion and inability to wake or stay awake. A person’s lips, nail beds and skin may appear pale, gray or blue. Call 911 or go to the emergency room.
People that are at highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19 are those that are immune-compromised, people that have medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease and liver disease, pregnant women and the elderly. These individuals may need to get the updated shot as soon as possible.
RSV symptoms
Symptoms of respiratory syncytial virus (known as RSV) include runny nose, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing.
Individuals are generally infected with RSV as an infant or toddler and almost every child will have had an RSV infection by their second birthday, said CDC officials. People of any age can be infected.
RSV is the leading cause of pneumonia and bronchiolitis in children younger than one year old, according to the CDC. Some older adults and infants younger than six months may need hospitalization if they are having trouble breathing or are dehydrated.
Pneumonia symptoms
Pneumonia symptoms include chest pain when coughing or breathing, confusion, cough, fatigue, fever or chills, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea and shortness of breath. Pneumonia can be caused by bacterial, viral or fungal infections.
Those at increased risk of pneumonia include adults 65 years of age or older and children younger than five years old and individuals with diabetes, chronic heart disease, chronic liver disease, chronic lung disease and a weakened immune system.
