It's time to think about flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines. When to get shots, how to afford them

Ah, fall. The season of pumpkin spice everything. Cooler (we hope) temperatures. Leaves falling (well, maybe not in Florida unless we get another storm).

And vaccines.

Besides the annual flu shot, there are two other vaccines experts are encouraging people to get this fall: the latest COVID-19 booster and a new vaccine for RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), according to WebMD.

First thing first: Can you get all 3 vaccines at the same time?

Nobody is quite sure about the answer to this one.

"Since there are no data on giving this trio of vaccines at the same time, most experts advise a different strategy," according to MedPageToday.

Best advice may be to take flu and COVID together, which the CDC endorses and there's evidence people can take this combination just fine.

"If there's one (shot) that doctors might want to treat separately, it might be this newbie (RSV), because there simply hasn't been that much experience with it," said William Schaffner, MD, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, who is also a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

If someone has had significant side effects from vaccines in the past, “it probably makes sense to spread them out,” Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of infectious diseases and hospital epidemiologist at Mount Sinai South Nassau, told WebMD.

According to the New York Times, the CDC is expected to make recommendations on administration of the three vaccines together.

What to know about fall vaccines: Timing and cost of new vaccines vary by virus and health insurance status

Flu

Description: Influenza is a contagious illness caused by influenza viruses. Influenza is a highly contagious viral infection that affects mainly the nose, throat, chest and lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.

The flu season typically runs from October to May, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Currently the predominant strain in Florida is Influenza A H1N1

Is the vaccine available now? Flu vaccines are available now for the 2023-2024 season.

Who should get the vaccine? The CDC’s advisers recommend everyone 6 months and older receive a flu shot, ideally in September or October.

Cost: Medicare Part B covers the flu shot each year. Flu shots are part of the preventive care required under the Affordable Care Act and are free with most insurance plans.

The Affordable Care Act says patients don’t have to pay for certain preventive care, including some vaccines. That means flu shots are offered at no cost to people with insurance, including those on Medicare and Medicaid.

Those without insurance may be able to land a free or low-cost shot from some health centers and state health departments.

The cost of the flu vaccine depends on the type of shot and the pharmacy or medical outlet providing it but can range from $20 to more than $70.

COVID-19

Description: COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that is caused by a coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, which was first identified in 2019. The virus is primarily transmitted from person to person through droplets made when infected people cough, sneeze, or talk.

➤ Latest report on COVID in Florida

For the 2-week period ending Sept. 2, the Omicron variant known as EG.5, or Eris, accounted for 21.5% of U.S. COVID cases, the CDC reported, the most of any variant. According to the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the updated vaccines are expected to protect against this variant.

Is the vaccine available now? Not quite yet. In June, the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee recommended COVID-19 vaccines for use in the U.S. beginning this fall be updated to a monovalent vaccine targeting the Omicron variant XBB.1.5.

The FDA approved the updated vaccine Sept. 11.

Next, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's independent panel of advisors will meet Sept. 12 to provide a recommendation on who will be eligible for the shots. Once signed off by the CDC director, vaccines will be available soon after.

Updated COVID vaccines are expected by mid-September, CDC Director Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, said in a video statement in late August.

Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax are expected to offer the updated vaccines.

Who should get the booster? The updated booster shot is formulated to target XBB.1.5, an omicron subvariant.

The FDA recommended:

• Individuals 5 years of age and older regardless of previous vaccination are eligible to receive a single dose of an updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months since the last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.

• Individuals 6 months through 4 years of age who have previously been vaccinated against COVID-19 are eligible to receive one or two doses of an updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

• Unvaccinated individuals 6 months through 4 years of age are eligible to receive three doses of the updated authorized Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 baccine or two doses of the updated authorized Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Cost: As the U.S. government sunsets its COVID-19 vaccine program, COVID vaccines are heading to the commercial market. Insured people will likely be covered and most will still be able to get free vaccines. Health insurance companies follow the recommendations from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices when it comes to vaccines, said James Swann, a spokesperson for America’s Health Insurance Plans.

For people without insurance, there is the Bridge Access Program, which will make free vaccines available this fall through community health centers and state health departments.

Mask mandates? COVID spike has GOP fighting over mask mandates and bans. The White House wants no part of it.

RSV, short for respiratory syncytial virus

Description: Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious. Infants and older adults are more likely to develop severe RSV and need hospitalization, according to the CDC.

This potentially lethal respiratory infection leads to the hospitalization of 60,000 to 160,000 adults ages 65 and up each year and 6,000 to 10,000 deaths in that age group.

The season for RSV infections usually begins in the fall and lasts into the spring, potentially peaking in January and February.

Is the vaccine available now? Yes, for older adults, and infants and toddlers.

In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of two vaccines for older people.

This summer, the FDA also approved two options for infants and toddlers.

The FDA also approved a vaccine for pregnant women that provides them with antibodies they could pass along to the fetus and protect their newborn babies from birth to 6 months of age from severe RSV. That vaccine still must be recommended by the CDC, and it’s unclear when it will become available.

Who should get the vaccine? The CDC said adults over age 60 may get the vaccine after discussing it with their health care provider.

The CDC signed off on a monoclonal antibody called nirsevimab (brand name Beyfortus) for all infants up to 8 months old, born during — or entering — their first RSV season, and for a small group who are between 8 and 19 months old and at high risk for severe disease (including children who are severely immunocompromised).

RSV shot for babies: CDC panel recommends new RSV shot for babies and certain toddlers

The CDC has not yet made recommendations on the maternal RSV vaccine.

If you're not over 60 or very young, Yale Medicine said you probably don't need the RSV vaccine. Always check with your health-care provider.

Cost: The new RSV vaccines may cost between $180 and $295 a shot. Because they are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, they are covered for people with private insurance without a copay.

Medicare beneficiaries should note that the RSV vaccine is covered under Part D of the program, so those who have not signed up for the drug benefit may have to pay out-of-pocket.

Florida's Vaccines for Adults program helps those who qualify with vaccine costs

To be eligible to receive VFA vaccine, one must be an:

• Uninsured adult aged 19 years and older

• Underinsured adult aged 19 years and older (i.e., health insurance does not cover the cost of the vaccine to be administered)

These vaccines are distributed to health care facilities such as county health departments and Federally Qualified Health Centers., according to the Florida Department of Health.

Florida's Vaccines for Children program helps provide vaccines for children

The Florida VFC Program provides vaccines to children 0 through 18 years of age who meet program eligibility at no cost to the parent/guardian.

To qualify, children from birth through 18 years of age must meet one of the following criteria:

• Are enrolled in Medicaid (including Medipass and Medicaid HMOs).

• Have no health insurance.

• Have health insurance that does not cover immunizations.

• Are American Indian or Alaskan Native.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Flu, COVID, RSV vaccines. Who should get all 3, get them together?