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COVID-19, FLU AND RSV SHOTS − AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST EXPLAINS WHY ALL
THREE MATTER THIS FALL  
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Annette Regan
August 30, 2024
The Conversation
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_ COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths have been rising since May
2024, with the highest rates seen in adults 65 and older and infants
under 6 months old. Therefore, health experts recommend getting the
updated COVID-19 shot as soon as possible. _

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_The Food and Drug Administration approved and granted emergency use
authorization on Aug. 22, 2024, for the newest, updated version of the
COVID-19 vaccine
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quickly endorsed the
new shot [[link removed]] to
protect against severe illness._

_The 2024 summer wave of COVID-19 cases
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is a good reminder of why people need to stay up to date with their
vaccines._

_As the fall and winter seasons approach, the usual seasonal
respiratory viruses, including flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or
RSV
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will also be on the rise. Vaccines are now available to help protect
against these viruses._

_The Conversation asked epidemiologist Annette Regan
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explain why officials recommend that people get these shots over the
coming months._

COVID-19 is still killing hundreds of Americans every week.

What strain is the new COVID-19 shot based on and why?

The COVID-19 vaccine has been updated several times since the original
shot in 2020-21 to keep up with how the SARS-CoV-2 virus is changing.

In September 2023, the CDC recommended that all people get the newly
updated vaccine that was designed to protect against XBB.1.5
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that had been dominant in the U.S. that summer, regardless of whether
they had received all recommended shots in the past.

Now, in August 2024, the XBB.1.5 variant is no longer around and has
been replaced by the KP.2 and KP.3 variants
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make up more than 60% of variants currently detected
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Moderna and Pfizer both made updated formulations of the COVID-19 shot
that target this new KP.2 variant. It is a monovalent vaccine, which
means it includes only the KP.2 strain.

This strain was selected because it was the most common variant at the
time the choice was made. Even when new variants such as KP.3 emerge,
we researchers expect the updated vaccine to protect against the newer
strains. For example, the 2023-24 vaccine was designed to target the
XBB.1.5 strain, and studies showed that it continued to protect
against the JN.1 variant
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emerged.

The CDC recommends a single shot
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for everyone 6 months and older, with some exceptions. Children 6
months to 4 years old who have not received any prior shots of
COVID-19 vaccine still need two or three shots of the updated 2024-25
vaccine. Adults 65 and older and children and adults with certain
health conditions may require an additional shot
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People who recently had a SARS-CoV-2 infection may consider delaying
their shot
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for three months after the illness, since risk of reinfection is
thought to be low during the months after infection.

How did the 2023 updated vaccine perform?

Recent studies have shown that people who received the 2023-24 vaccine
were 54% less likely to develop symptomatic COVID-19 illness
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likely to visit an emergency department or urgent care with COVID-19
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less likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19
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unvaccinated people.

The vaccine was most effective among those who had received their shot
more recently.

What is the best timing for the shots?

COVID-19 hospitalizations
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and deaths
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rising since May 2024, with the highest rates seen in adults 65 and
older and infants under 6 months old. Therefore, public health experts
are recommending that people get the COVID-19 shot as soon as possible
to protect against severe illness.

Because infants younger than 6 months are not old enough to be
directly vaccinated, COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is the best
way to protect these babies
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When it comes to the flu, cases
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hospitalizations [[link removed]]
seem to rise steeply between November and December. Some years,
however, such as the 2022-23 flu season
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they start as early as October.

It’s important to remember that vaccines do not offer immediate
protection. You need about two weeks for your body to generate enough
antibodies to offer protection. September or early October
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is a good time to get the flu shot to ensure you are protected in
time. However, if you aren’t able to get the shot before November,
it’s important to know that it is still helpful to get the shot as
long as flu is around.

The updated shots should be available within days.

Is it OK to get both the COVID-19 and flu shots at the same time?

Getting the COVID-19 and flu shots together can certainly make it
easier to get up to date with these recommended vaccinations. Data
shows that getting the flu shot and the COVID-19 shot together is safe
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Some vaccine companies are working to develop a combined flu/COVID-19
vaccine
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to reduce the number of shots needed. This vaccine still needs to be
approved by the Food and Drug Administration but could become
available soon.

Who should get the RSV shot and when?

RSV [[link removed]] is another common
respiratory virus that can cause severe illness in young children and
older adults. There are two groups of people who should get one of the
three currently available RSV vaccines: adults 60 years and older and
pregnant people. The CDC recommends a single dose
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GSK’s AREXVY, Moderna’s mRESVIA or Pfizer’s ABRYSVO for all
adults 75 years and older and adults between the ages of 60 to 74 who
are at increased risk of severe RSV disease.

Unlike the COVID-19 and flu shots, additional RSV doses are not
currently recommended, because research suggests that the vaccine
offers protection for at least two RSV seasons
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are relatively new, however, and more data will be needed to see how
long this protection really lasts. Additional doses may be recommended
in the future.

The CDC recommends only Pfizer’s shot for people in weeks 32 to 36
of pregnancy between September and January. The Pfizer vaccine is the
only RSV vaccine that has been licensed and approved
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for use in pregnancy.

These vaccines are different from the antibodies that can be given to
infants at or after birth, called Beyfortus (nirsevimab). The CDC
recommends one dose of nirsevimab
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are younger than 8 months old born during or shortly before their
first RSV season. For some children who are 8 to 19 months old and are
at increased risk of severe RSV disease, a dose of nirsevimab may also
be recommended during their second RSV season.

Both the RSV vaccine and nirsevimab
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offer safe and effective options for preventing RSV in young babies.

Pregnant people should get advice from their health care professionals
about which option is best for them.[The Conversation]

Annette Regan
[[link removed]], Associate
Professor of Epidemiology, _University of San Francisco
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This article is republished from The Conversation
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the original article
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* COVID-19
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* influenza
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* RSV
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* vaccines
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* public health
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