It’s fall, which implies it’s time for respiratory viral diseases to begin circulating once more as a part of our “cough and chilly” season. This 12 months is not any exception – we’ve began seeing an uptick in constructive assessments for COVID-19, flu (also called influenza) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), each nationally and domestically. With a number of diseases going round and up to date/new vaccines out there, there’s quite a bit for fogeys to know.
To assist mother and father type all of it out, I’ve answered essentially the most ceaselessly requested questions we’ve been receiving about COVID-19, flu and RSV:
1. What’s the best factor mother and father can do to guard their youngsters from these severe diseases?
The simplest factor mother and father can do, along with handwashing and avoiding sick individuals, is to vaccinate their youngsters towards these diseases. For the primary time ever, we’ve got vaccinations or different preventative remedies out there for all three. It’s fairly thrilling. It’s vital to notice, nevertheless, that vaccinations don’t fully forestall all youngsters from getting contaminated and/or having signs; it prevents them from having extreme illness and doubtlessly being hospitalized.
2. Up to date COVID vaccines that extra carefully match the present strains have been lately made out there — ought to I get my youngsters one other one?
Sure! The up to date COVID-19 vaccines defend towards the more moderen omicron variants, such because the XBB lineage, and the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention recommends that everybody aged 5 years and older get at the very least one dose of this up to date Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to guard towards severe sickness.
Folks (together with youngsters) who’re reasonably or severely immunocompromised might get further doses of the up to date COVID-19 vaccine. Youngsters aged six months to 4 years want a number of doses of the COVID-19 vaccines to be updated in the event that they haven’t been vaccinated earlier than, together with at the very least one dose of the up to date COVID-19 vaccine.
3. Ought to we be pacing our COVID-19 vaccine schedule equally to the flu vaccine — yearly, round September/October?
Ideally, sure, it will be nice to get them each on the similar time of 12 months to make it simpler for households. Nevertheless, as a result of COVID-19 has been unpredictable, I can’t say that for sure. Proper now, it’s finest to observe what’s occurring within the information and take note of what the CDC is recommending — till (hopefully) COVID-19 turns into a bit extra predictable just like the flu.
4. Is it okay for my youngsters to get the COVID-19 and flu vaccines on the similar time?
Sure! It’s protected to obtain the COVID and flu vaccines on the similar time. Based mostly on present information, there isn’t any elevated security threat and no lower in immune response if they’re administered collectively.
5. Is that this 12 months’s flu vaccine a great match for the present strains which can be circulating?
Influenza could cause extreme illness requiring hospitalization and demise in even wholesome youngsters, particularly these lower than 5 years previous. It’s wanting like this 12 months’s flu vaccine is a comparatively good match based mostly on the information from the flu season within the southern hemisphere. Keep in mind that getting a flu vaccine can forestall towards severe sickness in case your youngster turns into contaminated with the flu.
6. Who must be getting the brand new RSV vaccine?
Wholesome infants lower than eight months of age ought to obtain nirsevimab, which was lately permitted by the FDA. Whereas not technically a vaccine — it’s a monoclonal antibody — nirsevimab is getting used equally to how we consider preventive vaccines. It’s endorsed to get it round September, earlier than the RSV season, and safety ought to final about 5 months. Youngsters who’re severely immunocompromised or have extreme lung illness might obtain a further dose of their second RSV season. We’ve got had different RSV antibodies out there earlier than; nevertheless, solely high-risk infants have been eligible. That is the primary time we’ve had an antibody out there for all infants below eight months of age; research present it reduces the chance of extreme sickness by 75%.
7. When is the RSV season?
The everyday RSV season is much like the flu, with essentially the most instances occurring within the winter and early spring. Influenza season begins within the fall and often peaks within the winter. That stated, we noticed a excessive quantity of RSV and influenza instances within the low season, such because the summer time of 2021 and the autumn of 2022. Some indications counsel it will likely be beginning early this fall as properly.
