When should you get COVID, flu and RSV shots this season? California doctors explain

People can soon start ringing in the fall season with three new vaccines to combat viral infections, according to doctors.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention met on Tuesday and finalized recommendations for the new COVID-19 vaccine, which is formulated to target the XBB lineage of the omicron variant. The updated vaccine will be available to everyone 6 months and older by the end of this week, according to the center.

This comes as coronavirus-related hospitalizations and positivity rates are rising in California and across the country.

Along with the new COVID vaccine, there are other shots — RSV and flu — you should look out for this season, doctors say.

Experts we talked to for this story:

▪ Dr. Peter Chin-Hong: professor and doctor specializing in infectious disease at UC San Francisco.

▪ Dr. Dean Blumberg: chief of pediatric infection disease at UC Davis Health.

Updated COVID vaccine

The new COVID shot is a one-dose vaccine, and serves as a “reminder” for your immune system, Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, professor and doctor specializing in infectious disease at UCSF, recently told The Bee.

“It’s just like waking up the immune system and saying, ‘Hey, I’m still around, remember me?’” he said. “If it encounters it in real life, it will be much more agile in terms of creating that immunity.”

How much do COVID tests cost now? What to know as cases and hospitalizations rise

The vaccine will help mitigate severe disease, hospitalization, death and long COVID — which are long-term symptoms following a coronavirus infection, the CDC stated in its recommendation.

Do I need the new COVID vaccine? Will I be eligible? A California doctor explains

“The vaccine is a much better match for currently circulating strains, such as XBB.1.5,” said Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infection disease at UC Davis Health. “And it’s also a good match for even strains of concern, like the BA.2.86.”

The CDC recommends the vaccine for all age groups 6 months and older. Blumberg said it will have similar side effects as the previous versions of the COVID vaccine, such as fever, sore arm and flu-like symptoms for 24 hours afterward.

Where to get the updated COVID vaccine

According to the CDC, the vaccine is covered by insurance, as well as Medicare and Medicaid plans and people can get it from their healthcare provider or local pharmacy.

Uninsured children can get the vaccine for free using the Vaccine for Children Program and uninsured adults can use the Bridge Access Program, a no-cost vaccine program that ends Dec. 31, 2024. You can search for the nearest vaccine clinic and make an appointment online.

Can I still get the old COVID vaccine?

You probably won’t find a clinic administering the previous versions of the COVID vaccine.

Blumberg said a lot of healthcare systems aren’t administering the original vaccines, such as the bivalent vaccine.

“That version doesn’t have a very good match with currently circulating strains,” he said. “And so the benefits are very modest, compared to the anticipated benefits of the updated vaccine.”

The 2023 flu shot

Blumberg said the flu vaccine is updated every year to keep up with how flu strains evolve over time.

“It looks like it’s a good match for what we are expecting for currently circulating strains,” he said.

He recommends that most people wait until late September or early October to get the flu vaccine. This way, they can get the longest amount of protection during the anticipated flu season before immunity from the vaccine fades.

Where to get the flu vaccine

Flu vaccines at health provider offices and pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens. You can find a vaccine location near you on the CDC website.

This year’s RSV shot

Respiratory syncytial virus — or RSV — is a common virus that causes mild, cold-like symptoms.

This includes runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, cough and a low-grade fever, Blumberg said.

“For most people, it’s a nuisance,” he said. “But for children under one year of age, it can be quite severe. So one out of 100 children ends up being hospitalized for RSV. And then, it can also be quite severe at the other end of the age spectrum for those 60 years of age and older.”

Each year, in the U.S., up to 80,000 children 5 years old and younger and up to 160,000 adults 65 years and older are hospitalized for RSV, according to the CDC.

RSV season typically runs October through March, Blumberg said. But last year, the season started early in late August and September, with cases surging in California last year in November.

There are two kinds of vaccines for RSV, Blumberg said. One is the monoclonal antibody vaccine, also known as nirsevimab or Beyfortus, which is for young children. The CDC states that the vaccine can help reduce hospitalization and doctor visits in infants by 80%.

The CDC recommended in early August that infants under 8 months old who are born during or entering their first RSV season get one dose of the vaccine. Older babies, from 8 to 19 months, who are at increased risk are also recommended to get one dose in their second season.

Blumberg said he is unsure about the availability of vaccines and if there will be enough for all infants.

“RSV is creeping up but it really hasn’t reached the threshold that we start administering preventative therapies against RSV, so I wouldn’t go out and seek it right now,” he said. If there is a shortage this year, he said doctors may prioritize it to those who are at most increased risk for severe illness and hospitalization.

Blumberg recommends that parents keep in touch with their pediatrician and schedule appointments when RSV season starts.

For adults 60 years and older, there are two vaccines called Arexvy and Abrysvo. The CDC advises that people talk to their healthcare provider about which vaccine is appropriate.

Where to get the RSV vaccine

Those older than 60 years can schedule an appointment at CVS, Walgreens, Safeway or a local pharmacy to get the RSV vaccine.

Can I get the flu, RSV and COVID vaccines all at once?

The CDC said it is safe to get your flu and COVID vaccines at the same time.

According to Cedars-Sinai, a non-profit hospital in Los Angeles, you should get the RSV shot alone and two weeks apart from the other vaccines.

Aside from his recommendation to wait for influenza season for the flu vaccine, Blumberg advises that people get the COVID vaccine as soon as it’s available, especially those who are at higher risk for complications.

What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.