Health Highlights: New COVID-19 vaccine
The fall virus season is upon us, and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved one of the newest tools to protect us from severe illness.
The updated COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be available at pharmacies around the country in the coming weeks.
The mRNA vaccine is not a booster, says Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare. He says it's recommended for a much broader portion of the population, everyone six months and older, as a one-time, once a year vaccine.
This vaccine does not prevent you from getting COVID-19, but the goal is to prevent severe illness from the virus.
Dr. Kasper says it's totally fine to get the COVID-19 and flu vaccines in the same appointment.
"There's no issue with timing on getting the COVID and influenza vaccines. The RSV vaccine is recommended to be given separate," Dr. Kasper says. "Most of that has to do with the fact they weren't studied together, there's not an adverse issue with it. For the population, COVID and influenza are recommended across almost all age groups. RSV is for our older population, so we recommend spacing that out by a week or two."
Dr. Kasper says for those 65 and older with respiratory conditions, it might be recommended they receive a second booster in six-month increments.
Key takeaways:
- mRNA vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna approved by FDA
- New COVID-19 vaccines do not prevent getting the virus; aims to prevent severity of illness
- Commercial retailers/pharmacies are the way to go
- Free COVID-19 home test from U.S. government return in September
- Protein-based vaccine by Novavax expected to get approval soon
- Flu and COVID-19 vaccine is fine to get at same time