During the coldest months of the year, we generally protect ourselves from the weather with our heavier coats, gloves and blankets. But winter is also a good time to protect our immune system, putting several updated vaccines, including for the flu, the COVID-19, the VRS, the Herpes Zóster and more.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the flu vaccine as its best protection against influenza, whose prevalence is currently very high in New York, according to information from UnitedHealthcare.
The propagation of other infectious diseases also tends to increase during the winter months, putting your loved ones at a greater risk of suffering from diseases, pain or even being hospitalized.
Here I present 3 strategies to consider that they can help you stay as healthy as possible during the winter months:
– Put this year’s flu vaccine
While the flu is more serious for older people and those with certain chronic conditions, the flu can affect all age.
Smaller children, especially those under 2 years old, have a greater risk of developing serious flu complications, according to CDC.
The flu vaccine for all children from 6 months and older is recommended, with some exceptions as for people with serious allergies or immunocompromised individuals.
Studies show that the flu vaccine reduces the risk of getting the disease by up to 60%. In addition, vaccinating can help protect people around you, especially when the vaccine is well adapted to viruses that circulate every year.
-Put this year’s COVID-19 vaccine
Like the flu, the coronavirus changes from year to year, which means that the vaccine is reformulated annually to better aim at current viral strains.
Although almost 50% of the US population received the flu vaccine in 2023, a smaller amount (29%) received the COVID-19 vaccine.
A low number of Americans report being worried about contracting COVID-19, although the coronavirus is more fatal than the flu and entails the additional risk of long-term symptoms.
If you want protection against both, you can receive flu vaccines and COVID-19 at the same time, along with additional vaccines.
– Empty against the VSR and Herpes Zóster
In addition to flu and COVID-19, VSR, or syncitial respiratory virus, is another infectious disease that spreads at this time of year. Although symptoms are often as a common cold, the virus can become something more serious, especially for older adults and young children.
CDC recommend a VSR vaccine for people 60 years or older, as well as another option, an injection of monoclonal antibodies, to help protect babies and young children 2 years or less.
For people 50 and over, it is important to get vaccinated against Herpes Zóster (or Sake), something that only 18% of Americans in that age group have done.
The Herpes Zóster, which is caused by the same virus as the chickenpox, can generate large red blisters full of liquid that are as painful as they seem. In addition, it can result in more severe side effects, including long -term pain or even hearing or vision loss.
If he did not vaccinate during autumn, this high flu season is the perfect time to catch up. In most cases, vaccines are covered by health plans through their employer, individual and Medicare and Medicaid, and injections are usually available through primary care doctors, medical care clinics and most local pharmacies.
To find a place near you where flu vaccines are administered, visit Uhcflulocator.com.
