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A registered nurse with The Los Angeles Department of Public Health administers a vaccination at a clinic to immunize people against mpox and COVID in Aug. 2022 at The Village Mental Health Services in Los Angeles.(Christina House / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
After a summer of very low case rates, public health officials are warning that cases of mpox formerly known as monkeypox are rising around California, including in the Bay Area.
The initial outbreak of the virus hit the United States in the summer and fall of 2022, particularly affecting gay and bisexual men as well as trans and nonbinary people who have sex with men. After a mass vaccination effort led by organizers from the LGBTQ+ community and public health officials, the rate of mpox infections dropped to virtually zero in California but now, the average number of cases reported every week around the state has more than doubled from the summer months.
Keep reading for what we know about the recent rise in mpox cases in the Bay Area and across the state, recommendations from local public health officials, and where you can find an mpox vaccine in the Bay Area.
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Bay Area health officials had originally been concerned about the potential for a resurgence of mpox, a viral disease which spreads mainly from close physical contact, much earlier this year ahead of Pride festivities in June. Fears of a 2022-style outbreak did not materialize, and case counts stayed very low: From February to August 2023, the average weekly case number across California was approximately 1 to 7 cases, according to data from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
But on Oct. 31, CDPH Director Dr. Toms J. Aragn announced that the agency was now beginning to see an uptick in mpox cases across the state.
According to CDPH data, the number of mpox cases in California has significantly increased, up from this summers low to approximately 17 cases per week in the most recent three-week period (with available data being from Sept. 20 to Oct. 10).
CDPH also noted a rise in the number of California counties reporting mpox cases: 15 counties in that most recent three-week period, compared to 11 counties in the three weeks before that. Similar increases, said the agency, are also being seen nationwide in states including Washington,North CarolinaandHawaii.
What about the Bay Area? In a statement, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) said that mpox cases in the city have risen too, from only 7 cases in August to 20 cases in September and at least 20 cases in October. SFDPH noted that some Bay Area counties have seen increased incidence rates in the last several months, too, as had other large cities around the United States, albeit at slightly different times compared to San Franciscos rise. Los Angeles said SFDPH saw its mpox increase in June, and mpox cases increased in Chicago in May. The latter was the outbreak that initially prompted Bay Area health officials to urge renewed vigilance against mpox ahead of Pride.
While the average number of weekly cases remains low compared with last year at this time, mpox continues to circulate in California, and recent data indicate that transmission levels are increasing, CDPH said. SFDPH also stresses that their count of October cases is still being completed, and this number may rise further.
CDPH noted two important things about this latest rise in mpox case numbers. The first: This latest increase appears to be fueled more by ongoing transmission within sexual networks than by people traveling to or from specific areas.
Importantly, most cases did not report travel or attending any specific event, CDPH said.
SFDPH has been more open to the notion that travel and event attendance could have played at least some role in this latest mpox rise, noting that during this outbreak, transmission is primarily related to intimate contact during oral or anal sex and that when people are connecting more frequently or with new sexual partners, there are more opportunities for mpox to spread.
Things like late summer travel, gatherings, and events may be associated with changes in sexual practices that can lead to increases in cases, SFDPH said.
The second highlight from CDPH was the role of the two-dose mpox vaccine and what it does (and doesnt) do.
CPDPH said that since early September, over 40% of people with a documented case of mpox had at least one dose of the vaccine. A lower proportion of people, 31%, had two doses. This, said CDPH, highlights that while mpox vaccine is effective at reducing infections and disease severity, infections after vaccination are possible and testing is warranted among vaccinated persons.
With this, we are reminding and encouraging all Californians to be aware of the signs and symptoms of mpox and to take preventive measures, including vaccination, to protect against severe illness, Aragn said.
SFDPH said that more than 50,000 doses of the mpox vaccine had been administered to date, but more than 40% of those who received their first dose are due for their second dose. If case rates are lower in people with two shots of the mpox vaccine than those with one shot, is there a reason people are not seeking out that second shot?
Joe Hawkins, CEO and co-founder of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, which offers mpox shots at its clinic, said that the huge number of people out there who received their first dose and who never came back for the second dose might have something to do with this summers low case rates which stayed low at least in part because of vaccinations.
I think that when people see that the news reports show that the cases have dropped dramatically, I just think and this is obviously me just assuming, that people dont feel that the risk is still out there, Hawkins said.
But people are still contracting mpox, and this will continue, he stressed. Because where theres smoke, theres fire, and the opportunity to spread mpox is still very high.
How mpox cases are tracked around the country:
Anyone can get mpox, but SFDPH said that the 2022 mpox outbreak predominantly affected communities of gay and bisexual men and men who have sex with men (MSM), as well as trans and nonbinary people who have sex with men.
This 2022 outbreak was unique compared to what had been known about mpox previously, Dr. Stephanie Cohen, director of HIV prevention for the Population Health Division at SFDPH, told KQED earlier this year. Thats because the virus really seemed to spread through sexual transmission and [was] associated with sexual activities, she said. Read more about how mpox spreads.
When you look at our national data [from 2022], almost 97% of cases in the U.S. were in people who are cis men, Cohen said. There were very, very few cases in cisgender women and also very few cases about 0.08% in children under the age of 16.
The mpox vaccine is a two-dose series, with roughly a month between doses, and public health officials are urging people to seek vaccination in light of this most recent rise in cases. So
If you got both doses of the mpox vaccine in 2022:
Youre all up to date and you dont need to get another mpox vaccine in 2023. Theres no recommendation at this time to get an mpox booster, SFDPHs Cohen said.
If you didnt get the mpox vaccine in 2022:
Go ahead and get your first dose as soon as possible, and get your second dose around 28 days later.
If you got only your first dose of the mpox vaccine in 2022, or more than 28 days ago:
Get your second dose as soon as possible, Cohen said. Getting both doses of the vaccine is very critical for protection, she said.
Reminder: The mpox vaccine is available for everyone.
In 2022, public health officials were initially only offering vaccines to people exposed to mpox or were categorized as being in a specific group more at risk from mpox. Those eligibility criteria are no longer in effect, and anyone who wants an mpox vaccine can get one in San Franciscoand in many other areas of California.
There is no shortage of mpox vaccine now, the SFDPH website said, and there is no need to prove eligibility for the vaccine.
Remember, getting your mpox vaccine wont 100% prevent you from getting mpox, as the CDPH data show. But being vaccinated could also help reduce your symptoms which can be painful if you do get infected, SFDPHs Cohen said.
Thats, of course, really a good outcome of the vaccine because we did see some pretty severe cases of mpox last summer in unvaccinated individuals, Cohen said. And we really dont want people to experience the distressing and painful symptoms that occurred at the same time.
Your mpox vaccine will be 100% free, and you dont need health insurance to receive one. As with the COVID vaccine, receiving an mpox vaccine wont make you a public charge or affect any future immigration processes you may enter into, and you wont be asked about your immigration status to receive the mpox vaccine.
You can schedule an appointment for an mpox vaccine, or choose a walk-in clinic.
If you live in or near San Francisco:
See a full list of mpox vaccine sites near you in San Francisco. SFDPHs Stephanie Cohen confirmed that you dont have to be a city resident to get vaccinated for mpox in San Francisco.
Mpox vaccination sites elsewhere in the Bay Area and California:
How does mpox spread?
Mpox is a disease that is caused when a person is infected with the mpox virus. As the name might suggest, the virus is related to the smallpox virus but is generally less severe and much less contagious than smallpox, according to CDPH.
Mpox spreads through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, said SFDPH, which notes that transmission during this latest 2023 rise in cases is primarily related to intimate contact during oral or anal sex. It can also spread through kissing and sharing bedding or clothing.
What are the symptoms of mpox?
The symptoms of mpox often start as flu-like symptoms, said SFPDH, but the virus also appears as a rash or sores or spots that can resemble pimples or blisters on the skin anywhere on the body, especially around your genitals. These spot often start as red, flat spots, and then become bumps, said SFDPH, before the bumps become filled with pus, and turn into scabs when they break. See the full list of mpox symptoms from SFDPH.
Its really important that if someone develops a rash that they think might be related to pox, even if its subtle, to come in and see their doctor and get checked out and get tested, urged Cohen. And that can help us prevent the spread of transmission in the community. See more on what to do if you suspect you have mpox.
Is mpox the same as monkeypox?
Yes. In 2022, the World Health Organization announced it would adopt the new, preferred term mpox as a synonym for monkeypox, in the light of the racist and stigmatizing language online, in other settings and in some communities that the agency said it had observed during the outbreak earlier that year.
You may have also seen the virus referred to as MPX, which was the name originally adopted by SFDPH.
KQEDs Carlos Cabrera-Lomel contributed to this story.
At KQED News, we know that it can sometimes be hard to track down the answers to navigate life in the Bay Area in 2023. Weve published clear, practical explainers and guides about COVID, how to cope with intense winter weather and how to exercise your right to protest safely.
So tell us: What do you need to know more about? Tell us, and you could see your question answered online or on social media. What you submit will make our reporting stronger, and help us decide what to cover here on our site, and on KQED Public Radio, too.
Getting a high-dose flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine at the same time may slightly raise the risk of stroke for people 85 years and older, according to a new study from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Its worth noting that the study has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, and experts agree the results should not dissuade people who are eligible for both vaccines from getting them.
These results in no manner change our very strong recommendation to get vaccinated, Thomas Russo, MD, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, told Health.
Brandon Giglio, MD, the director of vascular neurology at NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn, said that the new data hasn't changed his suggestions to patients.
I would still recommend [both vaccines] to my patients because the benefits of them getting vaccinations most likely outweigh the risks, Giglio said.
The FDA investigators who worked on the new study were not available for comment, but a spokesperson for the agency reiterated that the vaccines are still considered to be safe and effective in a statement to Health.
The review conducted in the study is simply a piece of ongoing safety surveillance effortsthe benefits still far outweigh the risks.
The FDA is confident in the safety, effectiveness, and quality of the COVID-19 vaccines that the agency has authorized and approved, the statement said. The available data continue to demonstrate that the benefits of these vaccines outweigh the risks.
Though the data might sound concerning, its crucial to contextualize the potential risk outlined in the new report.
The FDA is being transparent here, which is important, Russo said. Theyre letting people know the data, but its important to realize the uncertainties of this data.
Heres what you need to know about the new research, what it means for people 85 and older, and whether or not staggering vaccines may be an effective strategy for minimizing risk of stroke.
Getty Images / fotostorm
The new study relied on data from Medicare beneficiaries who got a Pfizer or Moderna COVID vaccine, a high-dose flu vaccine, or both together from August 31 to November 6, 2022.
High-dose flu vaccines, technically known as adjuvanted vaccines, are sometimes given to people 65 or older because their immune systems arent as strong as those of younger people.
The researchers found that there were three extra cases of transient ischemic attack (TIA), sometimes called mini-stroke, per every 100,000 immunizations.
The differences that were seeing were very small and may or may not with future studies prove to be real, Russo said. This may be a statistical quirk that doesnt bear out.
There was a slightly elevated risk of stroke among people aged 65 to 74 who received the Moderna vaccine. Among people aged 85 and older, the risk increased in those who got the Pfizer vaccine.
That the data did not show an increased risk for people 75 to 84 is unusualsince risk should increase with ageand is one reason to pause before putting too much emphasis on the new findings, Russo explained.
In addition to a very slight increase of TIA among people who got both the COVID and high-dose flu vaccines, the researchers noted a slightly elevated risk of stroke in some people who had only gotten a flu shot.
This finding suggests that the observed risk of stroke in the concomitant subgroup [i.e., people who got both vaccines] was likely driven by influenza vaccination alone rather than concomitant administration, the study authors wrote.
Its important to note, Russo said, that there is no proof that the vaccinations are responsible for the TIAs.
This is an observational study; it does not connote cause and effect, he explained.
Both COVID and the flu increase the risk of stroke, Giglio said; the elevated risk of stroke after COVID, specifically, can remain up to nine months after the infection has ended.
Both viruses can also cause several other life-threatening complications, particularly in older adults.
Flu has been linked to an increased risk of respiratory failure and heart attack in older adults, Giglio said, while COVID is more likely to cause severe disease in everyone 50 and older. This means theyre more likely to require hospitalization, be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), rely on a ventilator, or even die from the virus.
Though its considered safe to get your COVID and flu vaccines at the same time, you ultimately may be more comfortable staggering them.
Both shots can cause irritating side effects such as redness or swelling at the site of vaccination, muscle aches, and fatigue.
I would still recommend to my patients that they should get their [vaccinations], but they could definitely separate them by at least two weeks, Giglio said.
Doing this may make the side effects slightly more palatable since at least you wont be experiencing them all at once, Russo said.
However, if you live in a rural area, dont drive, or are otherwise limited in the number of times per month you can visit a vaccination site, you shouldnt hesitate to get both vaccines at the same time.
If this is your only opportunity, go for it, Russo said.
Knowing the warning signs of a stroke is a good ideaparticularly if youre a caretaker of older adultsboth in the weeks after vaccinations and beyond, Giglio said.
In our country, even though people might recognize the symptoms of a stroke, they may not treat them as an emergency, he said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using the acronym FAST to remember stroke symptoms:
Severe headache, numbness, and eyesight problems could also be warning signs, Russo said.
If you notice any of the symptoms, you should go straight to your local emergency room, Giglio said, bypassing any calls to your primary care doctors office or even a visit to urgent care.
Not all facilities are equipped to treat stroke, and its always good to know which healthcare center you should report to if you suspect one. Going to the wrong facility first will only delay you, because staff will simply direct you to the emergency room, Giglio explained.
While stroke risk should always be studied, the new data arent compelling enough to change any vaccination policies we have right now, Russo said.
The bottom line here is that the differences are so small that it brings into question: Is this a statistical quirk, or is this something real? Future studies, he said, will be the only way to tell.
BALTIMORE --The Maryland Department of Health expanded its statewide public awareness campaign "Vaccinate. Prevent. Protect" to call attention to the importance of getting updated COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccinations.
"We urge all Marylanders to get these two vaccines as soon as possible to be protected for the upcoming months," said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Laura Herrera Scott. "We are also excited that this year, for the first time, there are RSV vaccines and antibody treatments available for older adults, pregnant women, and newborns to protect our most vulnerable Marylanders against severe RSV infections."
Adults 60 and older are encouraged to get the new RSV vaccine to prevent them from severe illnesses. Pregnant women in their third trimester and infants should also get the new vaccine along with a monoclonal antibody treatment, the department said.
The COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech were both approved on Sept. 12 by the CDC against new COVID-19 variants.
Marylanders 6 months and older can receive the new vaccine if it has been two months since their last COVID-19 vaccine.
Marylanders 5 and older may get the updated vaccine even if they haven't received previous vaccines.
Annual flu vaccines are widely available at local pharmacies, health department clinics, and health care providers. According to the CDC, receiving both flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time is safe and convenient.
Vaccination and prevention are the best ways to protect families and friends against the triple threat of COVID-19, seasonal flu, and RSV throughout the fall and winter seasons, the department said.
For more information about how to protect against COVID-19, flu, and RSV, visit the health department's website. Marylanders can also visitvaccines.govfor a listing of COVID-19 and flu shot sites near them.
Read More
by Courtney Graetzer
Flu season is ramping up, and its important for everyone, especially health care professionals, to not only get the flu vaccine but also educate patients about what to expect.
The current flu season has started later and more gradually than last year, according to William Schaffner, MD, professor of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, although cases are expected to begin increasing in November before falling off in March.
It is very difficult to predict how this flu season will be, Schaffner said. But theres one thing for certain there will be a flu season.
During this gentle ramp-up, there is some additional cause for optimism: With the earliest cases already beginning, physicians have determined that the flu vaccine seems to be a good match for current viral strains.
Vaccination remains a safe and reliable therapy at combating the spread and severity of illness caused by influenza, said Jeffrey Barton, a Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) physician assistant at VUMC.
However, the rates of flu vaccination among the general public are declining, which may lead to a more severe spread. Some patients require further education to debunk myths and understand the importance of getting vaccinated. The most common concerns among patients are safety and whether the vaccine is a good enough match to even be worth it, Schaffner said.
The flu vaccine isnt perfect, he added, but it prevents severe disease. Yes, it is safe. Your arm might be sore, and some people may feel tired, but that is just your body responding to the vaccine.
Many patients may confuse this common immune response evidence that the vaccine is working for becoming ill as a result of the vaccine. Health care professionals would do well to clear up this misconception when speaking with hesitant patients.
Whether the flu vaccine is a good match or not, data suggest that it will still provide protection against severe complications such as pneumonia a top 10 leading cause of death in the U.S.
The flu vaccine stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies that attach to the invading virus and prevent it from affecting major organs. So, even though its not a full suit of armor, the flu vaccine protects the most important internal parts of the body.
Mild flu infections may still occur and cause a cough or sore throat despite vaccination, but that is because the virus has attached to the cells on the bodys surface, like mucous membranes in the nose and throat. None of the symptoms are caused by the vaccine itself.
Health care professionals should frequently assess a patients need for education regarding the vaccine and find out why they are hesitant in a supportive and nonjudgmental way, Schaffner said.
Psychologists have told us that providing information is important, but frequently not sufficient, to change behavior patients need to feel comfortable and be reassured if they are going to get the vaccine, he said. It is important to make vaccination feel normal, routine and personal.
Along with emphasizing the importance of prevention, health care professionals should teach patients about what symptoms to look out for and when to seek medical attention.
Signs of worsening respiratory illness include fever, shortness of breath, tachypnea (rapid breathing), productive sputum and hypoxia (low oxygen levels), Barton said.
The populations at higher risk should also watch out for confusion, worsening lethargy, poor appetite and weakness, he added. If hospitalized, patients will receive supportive care treating their symptoms and antiviral therapy, if necessary.
Even though more flu hospitalizations come from those who are unvaccinated, patients who are at age extremes, immunosuppressed, or have comorbidities like lung disease, diabetes and heart and kidney failure, are more likely to be hospitalized despite being vaccinated.
Pregnant women are also at higher risk but, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, getting the flu vaccine can prevent severe disease in both the mother and the baby.
If youre older than 6 months, you should get your vaccine every year, Schaffner said. Dont think about it, just do it.
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by Deb Balzer, Mayo Clinic News Network
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Young children and older adults are particularly susceptible to severe flu-related illness. That's why Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatrician with Mayo Clinic's Children's Center, says it's important that kids and adults get their seasonal flu vaccine. She says you should get vaccinated well before the holidays because it takes two weeks for the flu vaccine to become fully effective.
Health experts say you should get your flu shot as soon as it's available in your area. This will give your body time to create defenses against the flu.
"It takes two weeks to get protection against influenza. So, if you're exposed to influenza in that meantime, you may get an infection," says Dr. Mattke.
And you also may spread a virus. Dr. Mattke says the vaccine doesn't completely prevent illness.
"What it does is offer you protection against really serious complications: needing to go to the emergency department, needing to be admitted, going to the ICU or, in some serious situations, death," she says.
Some children six months to age eight may need two flu shots. It's important to work with your health care team.
"But if it's your infant's first year of being eligible for the influenza vaccine, I would anticipate that they get two vaccines separated by four weeks," Dr. Mattke says.
If your child is scared of vaccinations, there is an alternative to the shot for some kids. The flu mist is approved for people ages two to 49.
The flu vaccine, she says, can save lives.
"In children specifically, the influenza vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of death by over 75%. And so, for my children, I want to do everything I can to try and give them as much protection as possible against influenza," Dr. Mattke says.
In addition to getting vaccinated, it's important to keep your hands clean and avoid contact with sick people to stay healthy and prevent the spread of illnesses. Help children learn the when and how of hand-washing. Encourage them to wash their hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before meals, after visiting the restroom, and following sneezing or coughing.
2023 Mayo Clinic News Network. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
As the days grow shorter and the leaves start to fall, winters arrival looms across Hampton Roads. And with the holidays fast approaching, that will mean more travel and time indoors with family and friends.
To protect yourself and others, nows the time to get an updated COVID booster and to vaccinate against the flu. Two easy shots are an investment in your health and should provide needed peace of mind when sharing time with loved ones in the coming months.
The nation has learned a few things about COVID in the nearly four years since the virus first reached these shores. Medical professionals are better at treating the illness and the availability of effective antiviral medication means fewer people face hospitalization or death as a result of infection.
While that doesnt obscure or erase the awful early days of the pandemic or the subsequent waves that collectively killed more than 23,000 Virginians, it does mean the commonwealth is better prepared than ever should a new strain prove to be more infectious or deadly than those now circulating.
It also turns out that many of the habits acquired during the pandemic are equally effective at preventing the spread of other airborne illnesses, such as influenza. Among these are frequent hand-washing and good, preferably filtered, airflow in indoor spaces.
But the most important weapons against COVID are the vaccines. Developed in record time through the Trump administrations Operation Warp Speed, the COVID shots are safe and effective at preventing the development of life-threatening symptoms as a result of infection.
They represent an extraordinary breakthrough for science and for the nation, in that it allowed the easing of pandemic-era restrictions and for most people to return to work, school and their lives without fear.
Virginians embraced the vaccines when they were made available, and the commonwealth boasts a vaccination rate of 76.8% according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The commonwealth ranks 14th among states and the District of Columbia for residents aged 18 and older who completed their primary two-shot dose.
However, Virginias vaccination rate has waned dramatically since the initial shots were made available. The state Department of Health reports that only 18% of adults are vaccinated with the latest COVID booster, which was designed to protect against the most dominant coronavirus variant.
Thats little surprise. There are fewer messages encouraging others to get the shots and less effort paid in our communities to address harmful misinformation about the COVID vaccine and vaccinations in general.
As of September, those boosters are recommended for everyone 6 months and older. They are available in most locations, following some intermittent shortages after they were released, though its important to check if your health insurance covers them. The expiration of the public health emergency means that, unlike previous vaccines and boosters, they may not be free.
Since it takes two weeks before the vaccine is fully effective, getting that booster now will make sure that Thanksgiving can be celebrated safely with family, friends and neighbors especially for seniors, the immunocompromised and those who have vaccine allergies.
Likewise, public health officials recommend that everyone get a flu shot before the end of October. But missing that target isnt disastrous. A flu vaccine will help protect against the respiratory disease for months, ensuring protection against the most common influenza strain through peak-flu season.
Thankfully, this years flu season has begun slowly unlike last year when late October through the end of November saw case numbers spike. So theres still a good chance that a flu shot today will pay off in the months to come.
We all should want to do our part to protect ourselves and our families during the holiday, but COVID continues to circulate and the flu will again take its toll on the public. The best defense remains vaccination, both for the coronavirus and for influenza.
Dont hesitate. Get your shots today.
November 8, 2023
Media Contact:
Chase Cook, Acting Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-8649
Maryland Department of Health expands statewide public awareness campaign urging Marylanders to vaccinate against COVID-19, flu and RSV
Baltimore, MD The Maryland Department of Health expanded its statewide public awareness campaign highlighting the importance of preventing respiratory illness by getting the updated COVID-19 vaccine, annual flu shot and the new RSV vaccine for older adults and pregnant women.
The Vaccinate. Prevent. Protect. campaign informs Marylanders about the new vaccines available and why vaccination and prevention are the best ways to protect families against the triple viral threat of COVID-19, seasonal flu and RSV throughout fall and winter.
The campaign features statewide radio promotion in English and Spanish, and digital messaging, including content on the Departments X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram accounts.
The updated COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available, as are this years annual flu vaccine. We urge all Marylanders to get these two vaccines as soon as possible to be protected for the upcoming months, said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Laura Herrera Scott. We are also excited that this year, for the first time, there are RSV vaccines and antibody treatments available for older adults, pregnant women, and newborns to protect our most vulnerable Marylanders against severe RSV infections.
The COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna were approved on Sept. 12, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after prior approval by the Food and Drug Administration to protect against COVID-19 omicron variants:
Marylanders 6 months and older can get the shot if its been at least two months since their last COVID-19 vaccine.
Marylanders 5 and older can get the updated COVID-19 vaccine even if they have not gotten vaccinated for COVID-19 previously.
Annual flu vaccines are also now widely available at pharmacies and local health department clinics and from health care providers. It is safe and convenient to get both the COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same time, according to the CDC.
For Marylanders 60 and older, there is a new RSV vaccine that decreases the risk of severe illness from this respiratory virus. There is also now protection for babies in the form of a new vaccine for pregnant women in their third trimester, as well as a monoclonal antibody treatment for newborns and at-risk infants.
We are in the season when cases of respiratory viruses, especially COVID, are beginning to rise as viruses spread, said Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman. We urge people to take steps to prevent transmission of illness and continue to use the measures we have learned to protect against COVID, flu, and RSV, especially vaccination.
For more information about how to protect against COVID-19, flu, and RSV, visit health.maryland.gov/pha. Marylanders can also visit vaccines.gov for a listing of COVID-19 and flu shot sites near them.
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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) Drive-thru, to fight the flu.
Oh, the process was fast, easy, I didnt have to get out of my car, said Lynette Elliott.
The Portsmouth resident only stepped out of her vehicle to share with us why she gets a flu vaccine every year.
I think its very very important that everybody get the flu shot to be protected and to protect everyone around you, she said.
Riverside Health System held the last of a dozen drive-thru flu shot clinics in Newport News on Wednesday.
Health officials recommend the shot for almost everyone over 6 months of age.
Flu activity typically peaks between December and February, but is circulating already. Most of Virginia including the Eastern region is currently experiencing a low level of flu activity with just 3% of emergency department and urgent care visits last week being for flu.
If you get the flu then youre going to feel bad for several days, but if you get the flu vaccine the you just have maybe 15 -30 minutes where your arm aches a little bit, said Riversides vaccine coordinator, Evie Sutton.
Most healthy people get over the flu, but those with underlying health issues are at greater risk for serious flu complications which could lead to hospitalization or even death.
Preliminary data from the CDC suggests this years shot is a good match for the strains circulating.
Riverside, Sentara and Bon Secours all offered drive-thru shots clinics this fall, but its not too late to roll up your sleeve.
If you need to know where to go, click on the flu shot locator.
CONNECTICUT, USA The Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) announced the season's first flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related deaths Thursday morning.
According to CT DPH, the flu-related death happened to a resident of Middlesex County who was in their 80s, and the RSV death happened to a resident of New Haven County, also in their 80s.
In October, there were 67 COVID-19-related deaths in the state. CT DPH said that historically in the state, most deaths from COVID-19 happen among people over the age of 55.
The department is reminding residents across the state that now is the time to get vaccines to help prevent falling seriously ill with any of the viruses, especially with the upcoming holiday season.
Even if you have had COVID before and have been previouslyvaccinated, our immunity dwindles over time," said CT DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. "Getting vaccinated this fall will help you protect yourself and other members of your family as we enter the holiday season. In addition, preventing illnesses, even if they might have been mild infections, will help keep our children in school and adults at work. A healthier society at large will help all of us live our best lives.
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CT DPH said that the current vaccine guidance to prevent these illnesses is:
Connecticut Immunization Coalition and CT DPH are partnering with local health departments throughout the state on numerous vaccine clinics for children and adults. The entire schedule of local health clinics can be accessed here.
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached atjglatz@fox61.com.
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Calendar Date: Thursday, November 16, 2023 - 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Starting Thursday, November 16th,Deschutes County Health Services will be hosting weekly appointment only flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinics at the Deschutes County Public Health Building. Open to ages 6 months and older*.
When: Thursday, November16,12p.m. to 2p.m. Location: 2577 NE Courtney DR Bend OR Vaccine Type: Flu and COVID-19
Eligibility:
*6 month to 14 year olds must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
Please call the front desk(541) 312-2233 to schedule your appointment.
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