The latest COVID-19 wave of infections across Florida and the United States is well behind us. Now, doctors are recommending that people 6 months and older receive vaccinations ahead of the holiday season.
That’ll give someone the right kind of protection against what’s circulating now and what will do so throughout this season, said Dr. Aileen Marty, an infectious disease expert at Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.
In the U.S., people have access to mRNA vaccines — the ones manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer.
What makes COVID-19 mRNA vaccines different from others is that they teach cells how to make a piece of the spike protein found on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. That’s the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Once our body does that, it triggers an immune response that produces antibodies, which help protect us from getting sick during an exposure to COVID-19.
Each year, mRNA vaccines are updated to target the variants that are currently circulating and getting people sick.
The Novavax vaccine is another option, but that works a bit differently. The Novavax is not an mRNA vaccine. Instead, it’s what's called a protein subunit vaccine. It already has pieces of the virus, or proteins, in it and that trigger a response from the immune system.
This one is recommended for people who had an allergic reaction to an mRNA vaccine, anyone who had myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or pericarditis (inflammation around the lining of the heart) from the mRNA vaccines, or anyone who prefers not to receive an mRNA vaccine.
Is now the time to get vaccinated?
A vaccine “may not prevent every infection, but those infections are going to be less severe,” says Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “I would rather have my grandmother or my great-grandmother have a sniffle than have to go to the emergency room on Thanksgiving.”
Experts recommend getting your shots by now.
What about those who had COVID-19 over the summer?
“I've been advising my patients, my family and friends (to) wait three months after you had your summer case of COVID 19, and then take one of the vaccines,” Marty said.
This week, CDC Director Mandy Cohen endorsed a recommendation from the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for people 65 and older and those who are immunocompromised: Get a second dose of the 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine six months after the first dose.
Most health insurers cover these vaccines. A federal program that covered the cost of the COVID-19 vaccines has ended, though, and uninsured people may be asked to pay roughly $200 for a shot. Federally qualified health centers may have information about any available assistance with the vaccines.
Also, every U.S. household may order four free at-home COVID-19 tests via the Department of Health and Human Services.
Flu is 'absolutely miserable’
“Flu is no joke. It's a horrific thing to have severe influenza,” Marty said. “Real flu is absolutely miserable. The number of flu cases in 2023 to 2024 was much higher than the previous two seasons. And that's incredibly significant. Getting vaccinated is the right thing to do personally and for your community.”
The CDC recommends that people 6 months or older get the appropriate inactivated flu vaccine for their age group.
If people feel any sickness after a flu vaccination, they are not experiencing the actual flu.
“What we're doing with these vaccines is we are awakening the adaptive immune response so that we will have memory cells that are able to attack the real virus,” Marty said. “Anytime that the immune system sees proteins and other antigens that it can react to, there's going to be some change physiologically while the body is producing these new cells we're going to need and the new antibodies we're going to need. So it's not uncommon to have some symptoms that make you think you might be coming down with something.”
Those symptoms will subside quickly because someone isn’t experiencing the actual wild virus.
RSV and mosquito-born diseases
Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is common and usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Who should get vaccinated against RSV?
“Anybody 60 or over has a high risk of severe disease from this respiratory syncytial virus,” Marty said. “But even people in their 50s and 40s can have bad RSV if those individuals also have other underlying conditions. Also, we vaccinate pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks gestation. So that's super important.”
Marty also recommends being mindful of using precautions against mosquito bites.
“ Luckily we’re getting away from mosquito season, but we’re not getting away from it as fast as we normally do,” as it’s still warm and rainy in Florida, and standing water gives mosquitoes a place to breed.
Also, water left by hurricanes Helene and Milton have created environments for mosquito eggs, health experts point out.
The Florida Department of Health recommends draining standing water from garbage cans, buckets, pool covers, toys, flower pots or other places where rainwater has collected.
People may want to cover their skin with clothing or a repellant.
Information from the Associated Press contribute was used in this report.
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