September 13, 2023 – We are at first of the autumn respiratory season, and already this week the main target is on the FDA’s approval and CDC’s support of the brand new COVID-19 booster shot.
But it's not nearly COVID. This can be the primary fall that a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is offered, which is really useful for people over 60 and pregnant women. And there are the ever-present worries in regards to the flu.
Who must be most concerned? What is the optimal timing for a number of of those vaccines? And how long must you wait to get the brand new booster shot for those who had COVID this summer?
These and other practical questions were discussed by two experts at a press conference sponsored by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Higher risk means higher urgency
Even though the CDC now recommends the brand new COVID vaccine for each American over 6 months of age, people at higher risk — those over 65, individuals with underlying medical conditions — should get the vaccine as soon as possible, said Jeffrey Duchin, MD, health officer for Public Health-Seattle & King County in Seattle.
“I want to emphasize that people of all ages can benefit from COVID-19 vaccination, but the greatest benefit is for people at increased risk for severe COVID-19 in terms of hospitalization and death,” Duchin said. People at higher risk “should get the vaccine as soon as it is available, and that will be in the next few weeks.”
As for the timing of the flu and RSV vaccines, they could be combined. Additionally, people “who have the luxury of visiting their doctor or pharmacy multiple times” can opened up the vaccinations. “You might want to schedule your flu vaccine a little earlier to coincide with the time when flu activity is increasing in your community,” Duchin said, “because we know that the effectiveness of the flu vaccine varies even over several months.”
As for RSV, “I wouldn't say there's an urgent need for everyone to run out and get vaccinated today,” he added, adding that individuals should discuss with their doctor about eligibility and timing.
So why is the vaccine being offered to just about all the U.S. population? An evaluation presented this week at a gathering of CDC advisers found that making the vaccine available to just about everyone — a so-called “universal recommendation” — could prevent about 200,000 hospitalizations and 15,000 deaths from COVID over the subsequent two years, compared with vaccinating only people age 65 and older.
Young, healthy people who find themselves truly at low risk “need to consider their willingness to become infected and to take the risk of disease that can be severe even in a small proportion of young, healthy people,” Duchin said. They also needs to consider their home and work environments and whether or not they could infect another person at higher risk.
Not a sure-fire success for everybody
Sometimes the next risk for COVID is more obvious, reminiscent of in older age, and for that group vaccination is strongly really useful, Duchin said. “It's a no-brainer.”
Others will not be aware that they're at high risk, including some with underlying health conditions, he said. “Why should people [at] low risk to consider getting vaccinated? One reason is that many people who think they are at low risk actually aren't.”
The CDC lists many underlying conditions and factors which will put an individual at higher risk for severe outcomes from COVID. Below are the principal categories in alphabetical order. There could also be other rare conditions that increase the chance, so people should check with their doctor.
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic liver disease
- Chronic lung diseases
- Cystic fibrosis
- Dementia or other neurological diseases
- Diabetes (type 1 or type 2)
- Disabilities
- Heart Conditions
- HIV infection
- Immunodeficiency or weakened immune system
- Mental illness
- Overweight and obesity
- Physical inactivity
- pregnancy
- Sickle cell anemia or thalassemia
- Smoking, current or former
- Transplantation of solid organs or blood stem cells
- Stroke or cerebrovascular disease
- Substance use disorders
- tuberculosis
What if I had COVID this summer?
The CDC's official advice is to attend a minimum of two months after your last vaccination to get a booster shot, and three months for those who recently had a COVID virus infection.
“That said, everyone has to look at their own personal situation,” Duchin said. Someone at very high risk, for instance, might wish to get their COVID booster shot earlier of their eligibility period, he said.
On the opposite hand, someone who's at lower risk of infection and takes many precautions “may want to wait a little longer and see if they can extend their protection a little longer after a natural infection.”
It can be flu and RSV season
As vital as protection against COVID is, “we need to think about other vaccines that we can use to protect people from other respiratory viruses that are going to be circulating,” including influenza and RSV, says Tina Q. Tan, MD, a pediatrician within the division of infectious diseases at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and vp of the board of directors of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
“We know that millions of children get the flu every year,” Tan said. Children under 5, and particularly under 2, are at increased risk for flu complications.
It is really useful that each one children aged 6 months and older be vaccinated against influenza. “This is really an important way to protect people from severe flu and its complications. It is also important to vaccinate not just the child, but everyone, especially if there are infants under 6 months in the household.”
As for RSV, greater than 2 million doctor visits by children under 5 are because of RSV annually, with most visits being for otherwise full-term, healthy infants. Although there is no such thing as a approved RSV vaccine for young children, the CDC in August really useful a brand new monoclonal antibody for all infants under 8 months of age and a few older babies, Tan said. This preventive treatment is vital because “RSV can cause serious illness and complications in this very young infant population.” RSV is related to as much as 80,000 hospitalizations and 300 deaths in young children annually.
Older persons are also at higher risk for severe RSV disease. “Many of us know how important the annual flu shot is, but most don't realize what a big problem RSV can be for older people,” Duchin said.
The CDC estimates that RSV is liable for about 160,000 hospitalizations and between 6,000 and 10,000 deaths amongst older adults. Those at highest risk are older Americans with chronic heart or lung disease, weakened immune systems, and adults living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities. Duchin added that individuals ages 60 and older should discuss with their doctor or the person administering their vaccines to find out if RSV vaccination would profit them.