It’s fall, which implies it’s time for respiratory viral diseases to start out circulating once more as a part of our “cough and chilly” season. This 12 months isn’t any exception – we’ve began seeing an uptick in constructive assessments for COVID-19, flu (also referred to as 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 loads for fogeys to know.
To assist mother and father kind all of it out, I’ve answered essentially the most incessantly requested questions we’ve been receiving about COVID-19, flu and RSV:
1. What’s the simplest factor mother and father can do to guard their children from these critical diseases?
The best factor mother and father can do, along with handwashing and avoiding sick individuals, is to vaccinate their youngsters in opposition to these diseases. For the primary time ever, now we have vaccinations or different preventative therapies out there for all three. It’s fairly thrilling. It’s necessary to notice, nevertheless, that vaccinations don’t utterly forestall all children from getting contaminated and/or having signs; it prevents them from having extreme illness and probably being hospitalized.
2. Up to date COVID vaccines that extra intently match the present strains have been not too long ago made out there — ought to I get my children one other one?
Sure! The up to date COVID-19 vaccines shield in opposition to 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 no less than one dose of this up to date Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to guard in opposition to critical sickness.
Individuals (together with youngsters) who’re reasonably or severely immunocompromised could get extra doses of the up to date COVID-19 vaccine. Kids 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 no less than 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 identical time of 12 months to make it simpler for households. Nonetheless, as a result of COVID-19 has been unpredictable, I can’t say that for sure. Proper now, it’s greatest to comply with 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 children to get the COVID-19 and flu vaccines on the identical time?
Sure! It’s secure to obtain the COVID and flu vaccines on the identical time. Based mostly on present knowledge, 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 an excellent match for the present strains which might be circulating?
Influenza may 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 info from the flu season within the southern hemisphere. Keep in mind that getting a flu vaccine can forestall in opposition to critical sickness in case your little one turns into contaminated with the flu.
6. Who ought to be getting the brand new RSV vaccine?
Wholesome infants lower than eight months of age ought to obtain nirsevimab, which was not too long ago authorised 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 is suggested to get it round September, earlier than the RSV season, and safety ought to final about 5 months. Kids who’re severely immunocompromised or have extreme lung illness could obtain a further dose of their second RSV season. We have now 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 danger of extreme sickness by 75%.
7. When is the RSV season?
The everyday RSV season is much like the flu, with essentially the most circumstances occurring within the winter and early spring. Influenza season begins within the fall and often peaks within the winter. That mentioned, we noticed a excessive quantity of RSV and influenza circumstances 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.
