Vaccinations and health tips for respiratory season

About the authors: As respiratory disease season approaches, Maureen Tierney, MD, and Anne O’Keefe, MD, from the School of Medicine's Department of Clinical Research and Public Health, share their professional and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for influenza, COVID-19, RSV and pertussis vaccinations. 

Remember to keep yourself healthy by getting a good night sleep, which helps support immunity. If you do get sick, contact your healthcare provider to see if you should be tested for diseases that can be treatable, such as flu, Strep throat or COVID. Lastly, stay home until you no longer have a fever for more than 24 hours or, if no fever, that your cough is improving.

Your physician can help guide your decision about when to go back to work. If you still have a cough, consider reducing spreading germs to others by wearing a mask. Masks do a good job of catching germs you produce when coughing, sneezing or even talking.

Influenza

The CDC has released its annual recommendations for influenza vaccination. Key points include:

• Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season, with rare exceptions. Vaccination is particularly important for people at higher risk of serious complications from influenza, especially:
  • Those under 2 but over 6 months
  • Those over 65
  • Those with underlying medical conditions including immunocompromise, pregnancy, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic pulmonary conditions
  • Those who are pregnant
• Flu vaccination has important benefits, including reducing flu illnesses, doctor visits, missed work and school, and flu-related hospitalizations and deaths
• Different flu vaccines are approved for different age groups:
  • Several flu shots are approved for people 6 months and older
  • Two are approved only for adults 65 years and older
  • The nasal spray flu vaccine is approved for people 2-49 years old, but not for pregnant people or those with certain medical conditions
• For adults 65 and older, three flu vaccines are preferentially recommended: Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent, Flublok Quadrivalent and Fluad Quadrivalent. As we age, our immune system decreases and these higher-dose vaccines induce a greater and more effective immune response.
• Flu vaccinations for Creighton students, faculty and staff can be obtained for free at the Shoo the Flu clinics on campus.

COVID-19

We are currently in a summer wave of COVID-19 illness spurred by the opening of schools. If you want to avoid infection, wearing a mask in crowded indoor spaces will help. If you are sick, take a test and avoid exposing others if positive.  If you are at higher risk of severe disease, ask your doctor about treatment.

The federal government has changed the way recommendations for vaccine use are made. Because of this, there are now questions about who can access vaccines, whether they need a prescription and whether their insurance will cover it.  Some states have implemented policies to address this, such as Colorado, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Arizona and others. 

People who want to get the latest updated COVID-19 vaccine can call a pharmacy, their doctor or the local health department to find out how they can access it in their area.

Major national medical societies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) have made evidence-based recommendations for the use of vaccines.

COVID-19 vaccines should be available for all people 6 months of age or above if they want them to protect themselves and others.  This includes young children, adults and pregnant women.  The full list of conditions that may cause someone to be at higher risk of severe illness or death is on the CDC website.

RSV

CDC recommendations for RSV vaccination have changed slightly:

• RSV vaccines are recommended for all adults 75 years and older
• For adults 60-74 years, vaccination is recommended if you:
  • Have chronic heart or lung disease
  • Have a weakened immune system
  • Have certain other medical conditions, including severe obesity and severe diabetes
  • Live in a nursing home or other long-term care facility
• The RSV vaccine is given as a single dose and is not an annual vaccine. If you received an RSV vaccine last year, you don’t need another dose this year.

RSV vaccine is also recommended for pregnant women

Pertussis

Cases of pertussis (whooping cough) are increasing, likely due to a drop in vaccination rates for combined tetanus-pertussis vaccination in the very young and very old.

Discuss with your doctor whether you are up to date on your tetanus and pertussis vaccinations.

Babies and their grandparents are often sources of infection for each other and are at risk for severe disease.

Vaccination is a crucial way to stay healthy throughout the upcoming winter months.