By Optum New Mexico
The flu virus and the COVID-19 virus are responsible for widespread illness, and both can cause potentially serious complications. Data continue to show the importance of vaccinations to protect against severe outcomes, including hospitalization and death. In 2023, more than 916,300 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19, and about 75,500 people died from COVID-19. During the 2023-2024 flu season, nearly 45,000 people are estimated to have died from flu complications.
Staying protected is key to helping reduce your risk of infection.
How can I best protect myself and my family from getting sick?
The best way to reduce risk from seasonal flu and COVID-19 is to stay up to date on your vaccines. Because viruses change over time, updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines are necessary to provide continued immunity. For this influenza season, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends everyone 6 months of age and older, with rare exceptions, receive an updated 2024-2025 flu vaccine to reduce the risk of influenza and its potentially serious complications this fall and winter. While the CDC recommends flu vaccination as long as influenza viruses are circulating, September and October remain the best times for most people to get vaccinated.
The virus that causes COVID-19 is always changing, and protection from COVID-19 vaccines declines over time. The CDC recommends everyone ages 6 months and older receive an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 this fall and winter whether or not they have ever previously been vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. Receiving an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine can restore and enhance protection against the virus variants currently responsible for most infections and hospitalizations in the United States. COVID-19 vaccination also reduces the chance of suffering the effects of Long COVID, which can develop during or following acute infection and last for an extended duration.
It is safe to receive COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same visit?
Updated COVID-19 vaccines will be available from Moderna, Novavax, and Pfizer later this year.
In addition to vaccines, remember the basics for keeping sickness at bay: Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and dispose of the tissue in a trash can. If you are sick, limit contact with others to avoid infecting them. Clean and disinfect surfaces that may be contaminated with the virus that causes the flu. Take flu antiviral drugs if prescribed to you. Improve air quality by purifying indoor air, gathering outdoors, or bringing in fresh outdoor air.
Flu or COVID-19?
Some similarities between flu and COVID-19 symptoms are fever/chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle pains or body aches, fatigue, headache, vomiting, and diarrhea. While some loss of taste or smell can occur with the flu, this is more common with COVID-19.
Symptoms from both of these respiratory illnesses can vary widely in degree of severity, from near zero to debilitating. Because the symptoms can be similar for both viruses, a diagnosis cannot be made on symptoms alone. Testing is needed for proper diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Those who are at higher risk of severe illness from either condition may be prescribed anti-viral medications.
Who is at high risk for complications?
It is important to keep in mind that flu and COVID-19 can result in complications, especially for people with high-risk factors. These individuals include those age 65 and older; women who are pregnant; adults with certain chronic health conditions, such as asthma, heart disease and stroke, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease; people with disabilities; and people from certain racial and ethnic minority groups, including non-Hispanic Black persons, Hispanic or Latino persons, and American Indian or Alaska Native persons. Data has shown that compared to non-Hispanic White people, people from racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). Once infected, people from racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to be hospitalized, be admitted to the ICU, and die from COVID-19 at younger ages.
The importance of prioritizing and scheduling annual wellness visits with a primary care physician (PCP) is often overlooked. Visits that are separate from those due to sickness, injury, or care for ongoing medical conditions can help you stay well and catch problems early. They are also a good time to review your immunization history to see what vaccinations throughout the year may be recommended.
For more resources and updates, visit: Flu Shot Still Important This Year | Optum.
