Covid
Pools are closing, kids are back in school and pumpkin-flavored everything is stocked on grocery store shelves. Covid
All the Covid fall preparations are officially upon us, including respiratory viruses.
But this fall and winter season won’t be like years past. Since the pandemic began, health officials have approved new vaccines to help Americans combat severe symptoms of COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and influenza.
Experts urge eligible people to get their recommended vaccines and plan for respiratory virus season by stocking up on at-home test kits and over-the-counter medicines and sharing with their providers an action plan for what to do if they get sick.
“We have vaccines, tests and treatments against the diseases that are responsible for the majority of deaths and hospitalizations in the fall and winter,” Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a press conference in August. “The best plan this winter is for everyone to remain vigilant (and) use these tools.” Here’s what to know about the vaccines available for adults and who is eligible to receive them. Recent information from experts on vaccines for children is available here.
COVID VACCINE: Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax
Millions of updated COVID-19 vaccines are now available at healthcare facilities across the U.S. following approval by the Food and Drug Administration last week. Major retail pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens are taking appointments and welcoming walk-ins. Covid
Pfizer and Moderna’s shots are designed to target the KP.2 variant using messenger RNA, or mRNA technology.
Novavax, whose vaccine has not yet been approved this year, uses a traditional protein-based vaccine against the JN.1 lineage, which would provide an immune response against the circulating subtypes.
Novavax said in a statement that it expects its pre-filled syringes to be available “in time for peak vaccination season.”
Rollout improving this season
Experts expect this year’s rollout to be smoother than last year’s, which was the first time the COVID-19 vaccine was managed by commercial supply chains rather than the federal government. Problems that arose with wholesalers and distributors, pharmacies and insurers delayed the vaccine from reaching people long after it was approved.
“Last year there were a lot of issues to work through the first time around,” said Dr. Kisha Davis, chief health officer for Montgomery County, Maryland, and a board member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. “A lot of those things have been resolved this year.”
Experts are also concerned about how uninsured and underinsured Americans will be able to afford the COVID-19 vaccine without the Bridge Access Program. The $1.1 billion program has given out 1.5 million free shots since it launched last September. That funding expired Aug. 31
Covid
To make up for the losses, the CDC plans to distribute $62 million in “unused vaccine contract money” to local and state health departments to make up-to-date vaccines available to people who are uninsured or underinsured.
But that’s not enough, said Chrissy Juliano, executive director of the Big Cities Health Coalition, which represents local health departments across the country. There’s also little information about how much money is going where, and how local and state health departments are allowed to spend it.
“We really lack the funding for inventory,” said Crystal La Tour Rambaud, who oversees the vaccination program for the Pima County Health Department in Arizona. “If this money went directly to inventory, it would definitely be a relief.”
Is there a vaccine for RSV?
For the second year, healthcare providers are also giving vaccines to some adults to prevent RSV.
RSV is a respiratory virus that infects nearly everyone by age 2. According to the CDC, it causes cold-like symptoms that affect the respiratory tract and lungs.
While it is the leading cause of hospitalization among newborns and young children, it also strikes in later stages of life, causing more than 177,000 hospitalizations and more than 14,000 deaths each year.
Two vaccines have been approved for older adults this season, Arexvy from GSK and mRESVIA from Moderna. Moderna’s vaccine is the first mRNA vaccine approved in the U.S. that is not designed for COVID-19. Both vaccines are recommended for all adults age 75 and older and adults age 60 to 74 with an increased risk of severe disease.
Health officials recommend Pfizer for pregnant women to protect newborns from lower respiratory infections The mother is recommended to receive the abortive vaccine. The RSV shot is approved for use between weeks 32 and 36 of pregnancy, it Usually starts in September and U.S. It lasts till January.
“This vaccine helps build immune responses and protect babies when they are born.” “This gives them enough time to pass through the cervix,” says Dr. American Academy of Family Physicians Board President Sterling Ranson (formerly USA) Told TODAY.
Unlike annual vaccines, such as those that target COVID-19 or the flu, RSV vaccines are a one-time thing. Eligible adults only need the shot once in their lifetime.
Flu shot: When is best to get it?
Amid all the new vaccines on the market, experts hope Americans don’t forget their annual flu vaccine.
An advisory committee at the CDC recommended routine seasonal flu shots for people 6 months and older. This shot is tailored to target the three influenza A strains that were dominant last winter.
The big picture for adults is to plan and prevent, experts say.
“Our top recommendation for protecting yourself and your loved ones from respiratory illness is to get vaccines,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the CDC. “Make a plan now for you and your family to get both updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall, ahead of the respiratory virus season.”