Fall Vaccinations: The Same but Different

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If it feels like everyone you know is coming down with COVID, you're not wrong. Reported COVID cases doubled this summer in Southern California, as did positive tests and hospitalizations. Since any of these could really get in the way of going to work or staying in school, SFCHC would like to remind you to protect yourself and share some important updates.

COVID: The Big Shot

The good news and bad news is that more people are building their immunity to COVID and medicine has developed more ways to protect against and treat it. The part of this that's bad news is people aren't as cautious as they used to be, increasing the risk for people with weaker immune systems and of spreading new variants.

The answer to this problem is an oldie but a goodie: vaccinate yourself and your family as soon as possible. A third vaccine from Novavax joins those from Moderna and Pfizer in being updated for current Covid strains and is available now. It's important to know, that COVID vaccines are no longer free for adults. They're still free for children under twelve, but adult vaccines will be provided through insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare.

SFCHC will still vaccinate children under 18 for free, but adult vaccines will be provided through insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare. Pfizer is also starting a program to provide free vaccines to the uninsured over age twelve. If you're not sure how to get your Covid vaccine, call SFCHC for assistance with your individual situation.

"Children are supposed to get out there and play, touch, explore… it's an important part of their development. And one of the best things we can do is provide them with a vaccine to protect them while they're exposed."
- Dr. Anastasia Williams, SFCHC Medical Director of Pediatric Services

You can also still protect yourself and others using the same precautions from the pandemic:

• Wearing masks in crowded indoor spaces
• Washing hands or using hand sanitizer often
• Practicing social distancing
• Isolating at home if you feel sick

Flu: The Veteran

The flu vaccine is still important for everyone in your family, especially because it helps your body fight Covid-19. You can usually get it at the same time as your Covid vaccine.

If your child does catch the flu and has a fever for two days or more, has difficulty catching their breath, or has a cold lasting more than a week, seek care from your child's pediatrician or family doctor. If your child stops breathing and they're gasping for air, call 911.

With any respiratory illness, it's important for infants to stay hydrated. If they can't wet their diaper every eight to ten hours, it's a sign that they are dehydrated, and you should call your doctor. If your baby is crying nonstop, called inconsolable irritability, call your doctor or go to urgent care.

Parents have nothing to fear from vaccines. "In my 25 years of practicing medicine, I do not know anyone, particularly any child, who has died from the flu vaccine. I don't know any person who has died from the COVID vaccine. Not one," Dr. Williams says. "I know several families who have lost children from the flu. I know many children who have been hospitalized because of the flu…I think it's clear that the benefits of being vaccinated clearly outweigh the risks of not being vaccinated."

RSV: The New Kid

Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, has the same symptoms as the other illnesses we've discussed:

• Fever
• Cough
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Shortness of breath
• Diarrhea

This year, the CDC recommends the RSV vaccine for people older than 75, or people ages 60-74 who are at increased risk. This applies to people who did not get the RSV vaccine last year – it's not necessary to get a dose every season. Babies younger than eight months old, born during this RSV season, or entering their first season should also get the vaccine.

Help your family have a great fall and winter by getting everyone over six months old vaccinated against COVID and the flu. San Fernando Community Health Center helps get vaccines for both insured and uninsured individuals. Call 818-963-5690 to schedule an appointment today!

Author

Heather Hillstrom For several years, Heather Hillstrom has proudly provided copywriting and videography services to support SFCHC's mission of compassionate care for all who need it. She gained much of her experience and education at prominent advertising and marketing firms, with clients in healthcare, real estate, medical technology, and environmental products and activism, among others. Her writing portfolio includes DVD/Blu-ray bonus features for Paramount’s RANGO and Disney’s LOST, nearly all the content for the latter’s companion website Lost University, and a radio and television campaign that aired during the Olympics. She wrote on the multi-award-winning web series NONE IN THE OVEN and her feature script HIT OR STAND was a Second Rounder at Austin Film Festival and a PAGE Awards quarterfinalist. Many of her projects and awards can be viewed at www.hungrypictures.com.