As holiday gatherings and end-of-the-year soirees pick up steam, you’ll likely find yourself in crowded gatherings, sharing the space and air with groups of people, many of whom you may not know. Does this mean it’s inevitable that you’ll catch a cold, or something worse, like Flu, Covid, or RSV? It is the time of year when viruses are around, so even if you’re careful, it may be hard to dodge these circulating germs. Pre-pandemic, Flu and RSV killed thousands of people each year, and now, into the 4th year of COVID-19, we have a continuation of these 2 viral dangers in addition to COVID-19, which remains the deadliest of the 3. We still don’t know if COVID will eventually settle into being another seasonal virus, akin to Flu and RSV, as it still circulates all year. But we are now at the point in the season where Flu and COVID activity are beginning to rise again while RSV may be beginning to peak.

While masking, social distancing, and hand washing can all lower the risk of getting infected, the real question is where are we when it comes to vaccinations this year? While it appears that we are on track to reach last year’s numbers for flu vaccinations (about 46% of adults) and that to date, approximately 15% of the 60+ population has received the RSV vaccine, the numbers regarding the new COVID-19 bivalent vaccine, introduced this fall, are dismal. According to Vox writer Dylan Scott, only 14% of adults have received the new COVID-19 vaccine. As Scott stated, “What good is a miraculous vaccine if nobody wants to take it?” It’s not as though people are not concerned about getting COVID-19 or spreading it to loved ones, but about half of the adults surveyed in a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey say they do not plan to get the new vaccine as we head into the holidays. This lack of vaccination is particularly worrisome for older adults. In the first 8 months of this year, those 65 and older made up 63% of COVID hospitalizations, and 75% of those who were hospitalized had not gotten the bivalent vaccine. Nearly 90% of the COVID deaths among those hospitalized have all been patients 65 and older. Most of those seniors who contracted COVID and were hospitalized were known to have at least one serious underlying factor, such as diabetes or coronary artery disease. For nursing home residents, the data regarding vaccines is also worrisome. Current data shows that only 17% of nursing home residents have received the new COVID-19 vaccine and only 2% of staff have been vaccinated. 

It’s not too late to get vaccinated for any of these circulating viruses to protect yourself or your vulnerable loved ones. For example, the Flu season usually peaks in February and extends into the spring, so even if you’ve not yet been vaccinated, there’s still time to protect yourself. It takes about 2 weeks for the immune system to begin protecting you, just enough time before Christmas family gatherings. There’s even data to show that if you’re planning to get the flu shot there are ways to improve its benefit, including getting enough sleep, eating well, lessening your stress, and being in a positive mood when you get the shot. And there’s new data that reports that getting the flu shot can potentially lower your risk of having a heart attack by 26% and lower your risk of death due to cardiovascular disease by 33%.

What else can you be doing to ward off illness this winter? USA Today recently published a guide on how to strengthen your immune system. You won’t be surprised to learn that it involves behaviors that are generally good for your health, including eating a healthy diet, reducing your stress, getting better sleep, and keeping physically active. And if you do feel sick? Well, you can always test yourself for COVID-19 (no easy home tests for the other viruses). If you need a COVID test kit, you should know that the government is once again sending 4 free tests to anyone who requests them. So get your nose ready, and read here.