Now that it’s fall, many people are probably avoiding illnesses like the coronavirus, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other colds.
Connecticut health officials said vaccines are essential this year and are encouraging people over 75 or pregnant to get booster shots against COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus.
It’s that time of year again. We all know that very well.
“I’m just trying to be careful,” said Joyce Baldwin, a Farmington resident.
Norwich resident Jane Hazard said: “Prevention is best. I’m not too worried.”
Although people can get sick at any time of the year, health officials recommend taking extra precautions from now until May.
The Department of Public Health said at least 13,740 people have been infected with the coronavirus since August, 193 with influenza and 140 with respiratory syncytial virus.
“70% of people hospitalized with COVID-19 were over the age of 65,” said Dr. Manisha Jutani, the Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner.
Professor Jutani added that 88 per cent of hospitalized adults have not received the latest coronavirus vaccine. She says it’s still a good idea to get vaccinated even if you’ve had the coronavirus recently, such as during the peak period in August.
“We know the season is long and it lasts all year round, not during the corona season,” Jutani said.
“A lot has changed on the respiratory syncytial virus front, which is why we now have vaccines for high-risk individuals and pregnant women,” said Dr. Dr. Scott Roberts said.
Roberts says there are also vaccines for infants who are at risk for RSV. Regarding the influenza vaccine, Roberts said the results from the southern hemisphere influenza season show that the shot remains effective this year.
“Influenza and RSV cases remain very low, but we expect both to increase in the coming weeks as winter deepens,” Roberts said.
Since May, just under 600,000 people in Connecticut have received the latest coronavirus vaccine, according to Department of Public Health data, compared to more than 1 million people who have received the flu vaccine this season. It’s small compared to that.
Health officials also remind people to stay up to date on routine vaccines, such as TDAP, which partially protects against whooping cough.
“We’re seeing some of their immunity waning,” Roberts said.
Roberts says you should get a TDAP every 10 years if you’re pregnant.
Whooping cough cases are on the rise in Connecticut, with the state now having 2,016 cases of pertussis, according to the Department of Public Health.
Roberts noted a lack of vaccine compliance in some areas, which could be due to people not getting their children booster shots when they should. .
“The incidence of measles has decreased. From a vaccination perspective, the incidence of pertussis has also decreased. So there is certainly work to do to get vaccine compliance up to pre-pandemic levels, but we are still there. “We haven’t reached that point yet,” Roberts said. .
Jutani says even if many children do receive the TDAP booster, the infection is still spreading.
“We don’t know why, and we expect some of it to be a post-pandemic effect, but we do see an increase in pertussis every few years,” Jutani said.
Jutani says it’s important to avoid whooping cough because it can develop into walking pneumonia.
“The difference here is that whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, so it’s time to talk to your health care provider about whether antibiotics and not a virus might help your child,” says Jutani. .
