Respiratory virus season is just around the corner. Federal health officials anticipate similar numbers of COVID, RSV and flu hospitalizations as last season. The 2023/2024 landscape looks a little different thanks to new vaccines and treatments.
An updated vaccine targeting new COVID-19 strains is now available for everyone six months and older just in time for fall and winter. According to the CDC, now is an ideal time to get one if you have not received a COVID shot in the past two months.
The campaign to get Americans vaccinated as soon as possible has hit a snag amid reports of people getting charged nearly $200 per shot. Those covered by private insurance or federal programs like Medicaid and Medicare are supposed to get them for free, but some insurers are scrambling to update their billing codes.
CDC Director Mandy Cohen this week took to social media to stress that the new COVID vaccine is free for those who want one.
“Go to vaccines.gov and you can likely find a site at a Walgreens, a CVS, a health department, a health center – so vaccines.gov to get your free COVID vaccine. Again, either covered by insurance or through the free CDC program. Just make sure you go out and protect yourself and your family today,” Cohen said.
Data from CDC, meanwhile, suggests upwards of 80,000 children under the age of 5 are hospitalized every year for Respiratory Syncytial Virus. A newly approved monoclonal antibody, a shot of infection fighting molecules, is now available and recommended for every baby at birth and for high-risk babies in their second year.
A vaccine to be given during pregnancy could become available later this fall.
Adults 60 and over are eligible for two new RSV vaccines approved earlier this summer. Interested older adults are advised to consult with their physicians for guidance.
CDC said the flu vaccine has been shown to reduce influenza related illnesses and the risk of serious complications that can result in hospitalization or even death. Health officials say September through late October is an ideal time to get a flu shot.
Frequent hand washing, covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, avoiding touching the face with unwashed hands and staying away from work when sick, also helps prevent the spread of illness.
