What to know about COVID, flu and RSV vaccines for fall virus season

Fall respiratory virus season is here. For the next few months, cases of COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, are expected to rise as people gather indoors for the holidays.

Infectious disease experts say October is the right month to consider getting the updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines for most people. Here is what you need to know:

To be safe at family gatherings, when should I get the COVID shot?

It can take two weeks for a vaccine to be fully effective, experts said, with protection optimal for about three months.

"Right now is the right time," Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a recent press briefing about the respiratory virus season. "We want to be having those fun Thanksgiving holidays, those fun Christmas holidays together."

Amy Lynn Safaty, the pharmacy district leader at CVS who is based in East Northport, said she is seeing more demand for flu and COVID vaccines since the weather has cooled down.

"A lot of people can’t think about vaccines until October," she said. "My recommendation is always to get the vaccine now because something important that people don’t realize is it does take your body two weeks to develop antibodies ... so you’re not fully protected for two more weeks."

The COVID vaccine’s coverage is optimal for about three months, according to Andrew Pekosz, professor and vice chair of the W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

"After that, it starts to go down," Pekosz said during a Johns Hopkins-sponsored webinar on Wednesday. "But if you get a COVID-19 vaccine right now, you should be protected well through the expected surge in the fall."

Can I get shots in the same arm?

"It’s definitely patient preference," Safaty said. "It is safe to get multiple vaccines in the same arm at the same time."

She usually advises patients they might be a little sore in both arms or very sore in one arm depending on their decision.

Should I get them at the same time?

Pekosz said studies have shown some people who plan to space out shots don't come back for the second one.

"It’s best to get them both, I think, taken as close as possible to each other," Pekosz said. "Many people actually never go back to the pharmacy to get that second vaccine, whether it be the flu or the COVID vaccine."

Who's recommended to get the COVID and flu shot?

Everyone over the age of six months should get both an updated flu and COVID vaccination this fall, according to the CDC. Even if it doesn’t completely protect a person from getting COVID or the flu, it can lessen their symptoms and stave off serious illness. People at high risk of developing severe illness from flu and COVID — such as those over the age of 65 or have chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease — are especially encouraged to get vaccinated. The group also includes people who are immunocompromised, living in long-term care facilities or are pregnant.

How high are COVID cases compared to last year?

After an unusually high summer surge, COVID cases have dipped across Long Island and the U.S. There were 127 COVID hospitalizations in Nassau and Suffolk counties on Oct. 2 compared with 318 on the same day last year. Positive tests reported to the state, which only represent a portion of cases, were down to 196 on Sept. 30, from 322 last year.

Pekosz said there might actually be a silver lining to this summer's unexpected surge.

"The large number of summer cases may mean that our winter waves will be a little bit smaller because individuals infected in the summer will have immunity that should take them through December and into January," he said.

RSV and flu seasons are just getting started, experts said.

Who should get the RSV vaccine and how has that recommendation changed?

Adults 75 and older as well as those who are 60-74 and at increased risk for severe illness are recommended to get RSV vaccines. People at increased risk include those with chronic cardiovascular disease, chronic lung or respiratory disease, chronic liver disease and other conditions. People should consult with their health care provider to see if they fall into this category.

Last year, when the vaccine was first introduced, the CDC originally recommended adults 60 and older receive a dose after a discussion with their health care provider.

The agency said a small number of people in clinical trials developed serious neurological conditions, including Guillain-Barre syndrome after receiving the vaccination but said an increased risk "cannot be confirmed."

Pregnant women can receive a maternal RSV vaccine to help protect their babies between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.

What do we know about the latest COVID variants?

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, is constantly mutating. KP. 3.1.1 is currently the dominant variant in the U.S., accounting for about 60% of cases, according to CDC estimates. It is part of the Omicron family.

Dr. Alan Bulbin, infectious disease director at Catholic Health’s St. Francis Hospital, said infections caused by this variant have symptoms similar to other variants, including fever, chills, fatigue, cough, congestion and headache.

"No worse or different from predecessors," he said.

How do I get free at home COVID tests?

People can obtain free home COVID-19 tests from the federal government. The limit is four tests per household. People can order them by going to the site COVIDTests.gov. 

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.