Fall has arrived and so has the time for vaccination. It is important for us to be vaccinated around this time of the year to help prevent the most common infections including flu or influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Since this is the time when most of the kids are back at school from vacation and from traveling, there is an uprising spread of infection seen in the general population.
Influenza or flu is commonly prevented with the recombinant influenza vaccine also called the Flublok Quadrivalent vaccine.
This recombinant vaccine is a cell culture-based flu vaccine and is the only egg-free flu vaccine that is licensed for use in the United States.
The Flublock Quadrivalent vaccine can be used in people 18 years and older. People younger than 18 years old or those who have had a severe allergic reaction to any of the ingredients of the vaccine should not receive the vaccine.
There is another vaccine, FluZone, which is recommended for people from 6-months of age to 49 years of age.
For COVID-19 infection, everyone from age 6-months and older should get vaccinated. For this year, there are three options for the COVID-19 vaccine, which include Spikevax from Moderna, Comirnaty from Pfizer and Novavax vaccine.
Regardless of what vaccine was given previously, patients can choose from one of the above vaccines for this year.
For RSV, three vaccines are licensed by the FDA.
Adults aged 60 to 74 with an increased risk of severe RSV infection should get the vaccine. Everyone ages 75 and older should get an RSV vaccine.
If you have already gotten the RSV vaccine once, you do not need to get it another time. The best time to get vaccinated for RSV is late summer and early fall.
The three available vaccines are Arexvy, mResvia and Abrysvo. On a general basis, these vaccines last for two years.
Anyone who would like to ask me a medical question relating to the health of older adults can email me at questions@apexmedicalgroup.org. I hope to provide a helpful answer in a future issue of this newspaper.
Disclaimer: The information shared in this column is based on current practice guidelines but is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.
Dr. Arvindselvan Mohanaselvan, M.D., is a board-certified physician in internal medicine with a subspecialty in geriatrics. He currently works at Apex Medical Group as a primary care and geriatric medicine provider.
Email questions for “Paging the Doctor on Call” to questions@apexmedicalgroup.org.
