3 vaccines to keep you healthy this winter

The arrival of cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and pumpkin-spiced coffee brings an unwelcome sign of the changing season: surging respiratory viruses.  

Vaccines are now available for COVID-19, influenza (flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). For Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) health insurance plan members, these vaccines are included in our preventive care services and are covered 100% at no extra cost to you.

These vaccines offer prevention across the age spectrum – from infants to older adults. By fending off the severe respiratory symptoms associated with these viruses, the vaccines could help prevent hospitalizations, as well as secondary infections and other long-term health issues. They could also prevent sick days from work or school. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it is safe to get the flu vaccine and other recommended vaccines at the same time.

The latest COVID-19 vaccines protect against current strains.  

The CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines to protect them against the virus throughout the fall and winter. Even though recent variants of the virus have mostly caused milder symptoms than the original virus, COVID-19 can still raise the risk of hospitalization and death. It can also lead to long COVID, which results in symptoms that last for a month or longer. 

Healthy adults who have been previously vaccinated need only one dose of a COVID-19 booster. People who are immunocompromised may benefit from an additional dose but should talk to their physicians for further guidance, the CDC recommends. Children may need more than one dose, depending on their previous COVID-19 vaccinations.

This year’s seasonal flu vaccines have been updated to protect against two strains of influenza A and one strain of influenza B that are predicted to be the most likely to spread and cause illness.

The CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older receive the flu vaccine. Some children will need two doses, depending on their vaccination history, and the vaccines will be available throughout the fall and winter for anyone who needs a little extra time to get protected.

Many flu vaccines are egg-based, but people with a history of egg allergies can receive any flu vaccine – without having to follow special safety precautions. The recommendation from the CDC for people with egg allergies is based on studies showing that severe allergic reactions to either the shots or the nasal vaccines were rare. That said, the CDC recommends that patients who have had allergic reactions to any vaccine in the past discuss the risk with their physicians and get the vaccine in a setting that’s equipped to manage reactions, such as a pharmacy or health clinic.

RSV is a respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. In infants and older adults, however, the virus can become severe and may require hospitalization.  

The RSV season typically runs from October through January. People with weak immune systems, chronic heart disease, or respiratory diseases – such as asthma – face a higher risk of severe RSV. To help you decide whether the vaccine is right for you, your physician will evaluate these risk factors along with other considerations, including your personal vaccination preferences. 

Here's who the CDC recommends receiving the RSV vaccination: 

• Older adults: All adults ages 75 and older; adults ages 60–74 who have an increased risk of severe RSV.
• Pregnant people: Pregnant people should receive a dose of the maternal RSV vaccine when they are between weeks 32 and 36 of pregnancy during September through January; receiving the vaccine at this time allows pregnant people to protect their babies from severe RSV.
• Infants and young children: This group receives monoclonal antibody, which isn't a vaccine. The antibody is recommended for infants younger than 8 months and born during or entering their first RSV season, depending on their mother's vaccination status. The CDC also recommends the antibody to children between 8 months and 19 months old who are higher risk for severe RSV and entering their second RSV season; they should receive it as close to the start of the RSV season as possible.

Viruses can cause severe disease, but vaccines offer you and your family protection against complications.

To learn about how vaccines work, check out the CDC's guide on vaccine basics and talk with your primary care provider about what's best for your circumstances.