CNN
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As people across the country prepare for holiday celebrations, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging people who have not yet received the latest vaccines against respiratory viruses to take action now to avoid getting sick and spreading the disease. We are calling on people to get vaccinated.
For the first time, there is a vaccine available to protect against Covid-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, also known as RSV.
But with rising levels of respiratory illness, there is an “urgent need” to increase vaccination rates, the CDC said in an official document. health advisory last week. Vaccination rates among children and adults remain low as virus activity increases.
Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Vaccine Development Center at Texas Children’s Hospital and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, said he shares the CDC’s sentiments, especially regarding COVID-19.
“The number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 is currently increasing quite rapidly,” Hotez said, adding that the new variant JN.1 is on the rise.
JN.1 currently causes about 20% of new coronavirus infections in the United States, according to CDC estimates. It is the fastest-growing coronavirus subvariant in the United States and is already dominant in the Northeast.
Hotez said the combination of new variants, low vaccination rates and rising COVID-19 hospitalizations could lead to a “pretty severe wave of COVID-19” heading into the new year. Pointed out.
“Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from the serious consequences of these viral respiratory illnesses,” the CDC notes. Vaccines will help ease the strain on hospitals due to overwhelming patient numbers.
In the run-up to Christmas, vaccinations will play a key role in preventing the spread of the virus. Airlines are expected to serve nearly 3 million passengers a day during the year-end rush period, according to industry lobby Airlines for America.
But if you haven’t gotten the COVID-19 vaccine yet and are worried about getting infected while traveling for the holidays, even if you’ve been vaccinated in advance, you can’t get vaccinated now. It is likely that prevention will not be in place by then, the magazine said. Hotels.
“if [you’ve] “If you have been previously vaccinated, you will develop protective immunity with high levels of antibodies that neutralize the virus about two weeks after vaccination,” he said.
In theory, if you were vaccinated on December 22nd, full immunity would not develop until January 5th. However, for some people it may start earlier.
Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, Sun, said, “Most people have already been vaccinated or have been infected, so there isn’t that much lead time before the immune system starts producing antibodies.” “There is no need for that,” he said. Francisco.
Experts say people are immune to the coronavirus and if they decide to get vaccinated now, they could be protected by the new year.
Professor Chin-Hong said protection against COVID-19 is strongest three to six months after vaccination, so people should get the latest vaccination sooner rather than later, even if the “vacation deadline” has passed. He added that he needed to receive it.
And even if you don’t have any precautions against COVID-19, there are countless precautions you can take to avoid getting infected, such as wearing a high-quality mask such as an N95 in crowded spaces such as airports. .
Masking is important in areas where ventilation and airflow are restricted, such as the bridge of a jet plane, where passengers can feel stuffy while waiting to board a plane. Chin-Hong emphasizes that even if there is good ventilation, masks should also be worn on planes as extra protection from people coughing and sneezing.
If you happen to have a respiratory virus but don’t have many symptoms, a mask can also protect others who haven’t been vaccinated.
“I know we think masks are something people do when they don’t want to get infected. [sick]But if your symptoms are mild, even if it’s just a cold, wearing a mask can prevent you from infecting others,” Chin-Hong said.
It’s also helpful to keep a protective mask in your pocket, purse, or backpack in case you find yourself in a pinch and need to don a mask at the last minute.
Hand washing is a good habit to practice year-round, but especially during the holidays, he says. If soap and water are not available, a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol can kill many germs, according to the CDC. It’s also a good rule of thumb to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth to avoid spreading germs.
Meanwhile, the best advice when attending Christmas and New Year’s Eve events this year is to stay home if you’re sick.
“If you’re sick and contagious, no one wants to be near you,” Hotez said. “You’re not doing anyone any favors.”
If you’re feeling sick but don’t know what bacteria you have, Chin-Hong says getting tested for coronavirus, influenza, or respiratory syncytial virus is a good first step.
“It’s difficult to judge based on symptoms alone,” he says. “Getting tested is an important way to differentiate what’s going on.”
Free Covid-19 testing is available through the U.S. government. Households residing in the United States can submit orders by: Covidtests.gov Compatible with four separate rapid antigen tests.
You can get tested for the flu or RSV at your local clinic. You can also receive emergency treatment with a rapid antigen test that often provides results within an hour.
Chin-Hong and Hotez agree that the earlier you know about your disease, the sooner you can treat it. The antiviral drugs Paxlobid and Tamiflu can help shorten the course of COVID-19 and influenza, respectively, but they are more effective if taken as soon as symptoms start.
All of these actions need to be top of mind when visiting relatives who are at risk, such as the young, the elderly, or those who are immunocompromised or pregnant. there is.
Vaccination rates remain low
The CDC recommends that everyone six months of age and older should receive an up-to-date coronavirus vaccine and flu shot. Both are currently available at retail pharmacy chains such as CVS and Walgreens and are available at the same time.
The CDC also encourages people age 60 and older to get one of the two respiratory syncytial virus vaccines introduced this year as soon as possible.
Hotez maintains that getting vaccinated is the single most impactful thing you can do to keep yourself and others safe, but many Americans are worried about the new vaccines, especially the COVID-19 vaccines, coming on the market. Point out that you don’t know it’s there.
“Many adults don’t realize that this new annual vaccination is different from what they’ve been receiving in the past,” he says. “They don’t realize that it specifically targets new variants.”
The latest measures against the coronavirus were rolled out in September. It is a monovalent vaccine formulated to target new variants of the virus that are currently circulating, such as BA.2.86 and EG.5, rather than a bivalent or two-strain version like last year’s vaccine.
About three-quarters of U.S. adults say they’re “not very worried” or “not at all worried” about contracting the coronavirus while on vacation, according to a KFF survey. 2 of respondents said they were not worried about the spread of the new coronavirus infection. The virus infects people close to you.
Recent data seems to support this stance. As of Dec. 15, 18% of adults reported receiving an up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination. Only 7.8% of children have been vaccinated.
However, only 17% of adults over 60 said they had received the RSV vaccine. data Collected by the CDC’s National Immunization Survey.
Influenza vaccination rates are higher than those for Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, but are still low compared to last season. About 43% of children and 42% of adults have been vaccinated this season.
Data shows that coronavirus infections and influenza have not yet peaked in the United States. Overall flu-like activity is highest across the South, but nearly half of states have high or moderate levels, according to CDC data. The weekly rate of hospitalizations due to respiratory viruses has increased by more than 50% over the past month, most of which are due to COVID-19.
There are signs that RSV activity has peaked nationwide, but is still rising, CDC says data is shown.
CNN’s Brenda Goodman and Deirdre McPhillips contributed to this report.