House call: The ‘3 bug’ winter: Keep the whole family healthy and safe

With school in swing and the holidays around the bend, we’re all together more and that’s a good thing. It’s both physically and mentally healthy for humans to connect, spend time together and strengthen our support networks. What’s not as healthy – getting together and giving each other colds and flu!

Winter respiratory viruses are part of every winter season, and this year, we’re facing our fall flu season coinciding with likely COVID-19 case surges and recent surges in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which can cause serious illness, particularly in children and older adults.

When we spend more time together indoors, winter bugs spread more easily, passing through families from member to member. Building immunity and taking precautions means not only protecting yourself but boosting protection across generations so kids aren’t passing the flu on to grandparents and vice versa. That’s why I recommend grandparents, aunts and uncles get up to date on their flu and TDAP immunizations before meeting the new baby in the family – it not only lowers their own risk, but protects infants from influenza and pertussis, also known as whooping cough. Similarly, older adults, particularly if they are unvaccinated, are more likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19, so getting a COVID-19 vaccine this season also helps protect the seniors in your life.

Gratefully, we’ve got many lines of defense that can help lower risk for the whole family, including some new immunization options this year. Clearly, we want family and loved ones at every age to stay healthy and safe, but who needs what, when?

First, wash your hands. It’s a simple line of defense for anyone at any age. Germs that cause respiratory illnesses are spread when a person coughs, sneezes or talks, through mucus and saliva. That means we can reduce the transmission of these illness with some of the measures that we’ve learned so well during the pandemic. Wash hands thoroughly and frequently, cover coughs and sneezes, stay away from sick people and stay home when you don’t feel well. These really do go a long way to stopping the spread of germs.

Next, build your immunity. Immunization remains one of the most powerful ways to protect ourselves and our community from serious illness due to respiratory illnesses like the flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common respiratory virus that causes cold-like symptoms but can become a serious illness. Different vaccines are recommended at different ages and intervals. Here’s an overview of winter respiratory illness and vaccines, but you can talk to your provider about your specific situation and needs.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

Respiratory syncytial virus is a common respiratory virus in both kids and adults. It causes symptoms like sneezing, coughing and sore throat that usually go away on their own in one or two weeks, but it can cause severe illness, particularly in younger children and older adults.

In the U.S., around 58,000 to 80,000 children younger than five years old are hospitalized each year because of RSV, and hospitalization rates are particularly high for babies younger than six months. During the pandemic, there weren’t as many RSV infections , so many kids didn’t have natural immunity and last year we saw a severe RSV season with many hospitalizations. Because of the risk, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recommended several RSV immunizations this fall.

Who is it for and when?

The RSV season is typically fall through spring, but the CDC was already seeing rising cases in the U.S. South in early September this year.

Adults aged 60 and older, especially those with chronic medical conditions, may want to talk to their provider about two new RSV vaccines for older adults. Clinical trials showed these two immunizations to be 83% and 89% effective (depending on which one) at preventing lower respiratory symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath or wheezing in the first RSV season after vaccination.

The new infant immunization, Nirsevimab (also called Beyfortus) is recommended by the CDC for all infants under eight months, for babies born during this RSV season and for some older babies at increased risk of severe illness caused by RSV. This immunization has been shown to effectively reduce the risk of hospitalizations and severe illness.

The FDA is also reviewing an RSV vaccine for pregnant women that would provide protection to infants up to 6 months of age; it is expected to be available in mid to late October.

COVID-19

COVID continues to circulate in our communities, schools and neighborhoods and staying up to date on COVID vaccination helps slow the spread and keep your family healthy. The COVID vaccines have been updated to target the Omicron variant XBB.1.5 and will continue to evolve to address new variants.

Who is it for and when?

The updated bivalent COVID vaccines are now available and vaccination or a booster is recommended for everyone age six years and older. Children aged six months to five years may need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccine to be up to date. Even if you’d had COVID recently, it’s not clear how long “natural immunity” lasts so getting a booster puts you in the strongest position to avoid getting it again. If you have COVID symptoms, it’s still recommended to test with either a home test which you may need to do repeatedly over a few days, or a PCR test.

Influenza

Getting a flu shot in the early fall, before flu viruses begin circulating, is the best way to protect yourself. The flu vaccine is updated every year to match the current strain of the virus. The flu vaccine reduces the risk of flu by 40% to 60%, according to recent studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Who is it for and when?

Flu season typically starts in fall, peaks in February and can continue well into May. You need to get the flu vaccine every year to be protected and the earlier you get it, the longer you are protected. The influenza vaccine is recommended for everyone six months and older.

If you’re wondering in what order to get your immunizations, it’s safe to get your flu shot even if you’ve just gotten your COVID-19 vaccination or booster, or the reverse. You can in fact get both vaccines at the same time, and RSV vaccination also if you are eligible. Check with your provider on what timing might work well for you, including adding in that shingles vaccine if you are over 50 years old. If you have any chronic conditions and immunity concerns such as cancer and certain diseases, check on which vaccines are best for your situation.

Immunizations reduce risk of winter respiratory illnesses, making it easier for us to spend time with loved ones without worry about these three prevalent winter bugs. As an added bonus, spending time with loved ones and our relationships actually boost our immune systems, along with healthy eating, good sleep, and exercise. So, your family get-together can support your mental wellness, your own health and the health of those you love.