An extremely practical guide to this year’s cold, flu, and Covid season

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the upcoming respiratory virus season in the US, including COVID-19, flu, and RSV. It provides strategies and recommendations for individuals to minimize the impact of these respiratory infections, such as getting vaccinated, testing, and taking precautions.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Respiratory Virus Landscape

1. What are the key points about the current respiratory virus situation in the US?

• The US is currently experiencing a large uptick in COVID-19 cases, and flu and RSV season is approaching.
• More than 200 viruses can cause respiratory infections, which are inevitable during the fall and winter seasons.
• While COVID-19 is still more dangerous than the flu, the two are becoming more similar in severity, with each successive COVID-19 wave causing a smaller proportion of hospitalizations and deaths.
• The risk of long-term symptoms from COVID-19 (long COVID) has also decreased over time, largely due to vaccines.

2. Who is still at higher risk from respiratory infections?

• Older adults, the immunocompromised, pregnant individuals, and the frail are still at higher risk for severe consequences from respiratory infections, including COVID-19.

3. What are the recommendations for managing respiratory symptoms, regardless of the specific virus?

• Stay home and away from others if you have respiratory symptoms, until your symptoms are improving and you've been fever-free for at least 24 hours.
• Mask when in close contact with others, especially high-risk individuals, and during periods of high COVID-19 circulation.
• The main reason to get tested is to determine if you should take specific antiviral medications like Tamiflu or Paxlovid.

[02] Vaccines and Timing

1. What are the current vaccine recommendations for the upcoming respiratory virus season?

• The CDC recommends everyone over 6 months old get a COVID-19 booster and a flu shot.
• For RSV, the vaccine is recommended for older adults, pregnant individuals, and babies.

2. When is the optimal time to get the COVID-19 and flu vaccines?

• Experts recommend getting the vaccines around Halloween to provide protection for the winter flu and COVID-19 seasons.
• Timing the COVID-19 vaccine about a month before an important event can help reduce the likelihood of infection during that event.
• Those at high risk for severe COVID-19 should get the booster as soon as possible.

3. What are the key points about the safety and effectiveness of the updated COVID-19 vaccines?

• The new COVID-19 boosters are safe and effective at preventing hospitalization, though the Novavax vaccine may have fewer side effects.
• Despite the vaccines' safety record, there is misinformation circulating that COVID-19 infection is safer than vaccination.

[03] Timing Vaccination After Prior Infection

1. What is the recommended timing for getting vaccinated after a prior COVID-19 infection?

• There is not much benefit to getting vaccinated in the 3 months after a COVID-19 infection, as the immunity from the infection matures and solidifies over time.
• Waiting 8 months or longer after infection results in higher antibody levels after vaccination compared to waiting only 3 months.
• However, the longer one waits to get vaccinated, the more likely they are to get reinfected in the interim, though most people are not reinfected within the first 9-12 months.

[04] Other Preventive Measures

1. What are some other strategies recommended to stay healthy during respiratory virus season?

• Practice good hand hygiene, use masks in crowded places, improve ventilation, and use air purifiers when gathering.
• Maintain healthy lifestyle factors like sleep, exercise, nutrition, and stress reduction, which can support the immune system.
• Control underlying medical conditions to reduce vulnerability to respiratory infections.