As we roll into November, we will likely begin to see an uptick in the viral infections that put us all- but especially those of us over 65- at risk for serious illness and even death. A surge of new cases of COVID, Flu, and RSV will likely arrive in the next few months, though this year we saw a significant uptick of COVID cases during the summer months as well. As of September of this year, approximately 500-900 people continue to die each week due to COVID (the majority of whom are older adults) and CDC estimates are that over 34,000 people in the US have died of COVID during 2024 so far. And yet, in recent polling of older adults, only 45% of those surveyed said they were likely to get an updated COVID vaccine this fall. These lax attitudes about COVID arrive at the same time that data suggests COVID’s after-effects can be long-lasting and serious, even if you didn’t experience a serious bout of COVID. First, new research from the American Heart Association stated that those people who became infected with COVID in 2020 may have double the risk for heart attacks, stroke, or premature death up to 3 years after their COVID infection, even if they never experienced severe disease while infected. We also have a new study from the University of Liverpool that revealed that 12-18 months after a COVID hospitalization, the effects of COVID on brain health, even without neurological complications during the infection, were serious, including cognitive decline comparable to 20 years of brain aging.

The website Better Health While Aging has an excellent and updated review of important information regarding COVID and older adults this season, including a description of the various available vaccines and advice about when to get your shot. If you haven’t had COVID within the last 6 months, the article suggests getting your new vaccine now. If you did recently get COVID, it’s okay to wait 3 months before you get the new vaccine, although if you are at high risk (immune-compromised or have underlying disease conditions) it’s okay to get the shot sooner, and it’s okay to get the shot at the same time as your flu shot. The CDC also recently issued guidelines suggesting that older adults and those immune-compromised get a second COVID vaccine in 2024, spacing it out 6 months from your prior vaccine. So, even if you received a COVID vaccine earlier in 2024, it might be time for you to get another, especially one that’s been updated to meet the most current variants. 

Even if you get a new COVID vaccine, you are still at risk for becoming infected (though likely to get much less ill if you’ve been vaccinated). Fortunately, the government is once again making 4 home diagnostic tests available without charge to every household. To get your home test kits, go to COVIDTests.gov and sign up. Interestingly, however, there are now home test kits that not only can tell you if you have COVID (and of course, the advice is to test and re-test yourself over 48 hours if your test is negative but you have symptoms), but can also discern whether you have the flu, instead of or even in addition to COVID. The FDA has recently issued authorization for a combination COVID/Flu home test kit, which operates similarly to the existing COVID home test kits. These new combo tests are approximately $30 for 2 tests, and may not be covered by insurance. They are considered about as accurate as current COVID-only tests and, as with the other tests, you are encouraged to take multiple tests for several days, especially if you have flu-like or COVID symptoms. And speaking of the flu, check out the most current and up-to-date summary of flu shot advice for older adults from Better Health While Aging.

When it comes to RSV, recent research has also delivered good news about the RSV vaccines. There is now data showing that in the first year of the availability of the RSV vaccine, those older adults who received the vaccine had fewer hospitalizations or emergency room visits compared to those who had not received the vaccine. While we still don’t know the long-term endurance of the RSV vaccine (currently there is no recommendation to receive a repeat shot, unlike the flu or COVID), the most recent data concerning the Glaxo RSV vaccines shows that in the 3rd season after receiving the shot, the vaccine remains 43% effective in preventing severe illness (in the first season, it was 94% effective and in the 2nd season, it was 64% effective). It remains to be seen whether older adults will be advised to get a follow-up shot after receiving their initial vaccine dose. If you’ve never gotten the RSV vaccine, this is certainly a strong reason to now consider it.

Finally, regarding vaccines for pneumonia: Previously the CDC recommended the pneumonia vaccine for adults 65 and older. However, they have just revised their recommendations downward, so that the current advice is for adults aged 50 and above to receive the vaccine. While only about 1/4 of adults eligible have received the shot, experts note that flu or COVID can put you at higher risk for pneumonia, which can potentially be a serious disease. The pneumonia vaccine, which is covered by Medicare, is associated with a 24% decreased risk of death from pneumonia, which is the cause of about 50,000 deaths each year. To find out more, roll up your sleeve and read here.