New Year Checklist: COVID-19 Booster and Flu Vaccines

Jan 17

Written by Meghan Sable, MPH&TM, Boost Oregon’s Central Oregon Program Manager

The new year has arrived with the hustle and bustle of the holidays slipping into the calm of winter. Spending more of our time indoors with others can lead to sharing more germs. However, we have plenty of tools at our disposal to reduce the chances of your family being bedridden with illness this winter.

Good hygiene habits are foundational tools we should use year-round to protect us from illness. Disinfecting frequently touched surfaces or objects that may have germs on them prevents us from picking up germs with our hands. Practicing regular hand washing, or using an alcohol-based sanitizer if soap and water aren't available, before eating or preparing food, after engaging in public spaces, or using the restroom is a simple way to lessen your exposure to germs that you did get on your hands. And, in times when there are a lot of respiratory infections going around, such as now with the heightened level of COVID-19, flu and RSV cases, avoiding touching your face, avoiding crowds, and wearing a mask indoors can prevent the spread of these diseases. We also have vaccines to protect us in case we are exposed to germs (1).

Vaccines prepare your body to fight off an illness. Right now, it is important for everyone six months and older to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu.

If you haven’t gotten the COVID-19 vaccine yet, there are many options available. For adults, there are three different types of vaccines, and you will need one or two doses depending on what type you choose. For children, there are two types of vaccines that require two or three doses. Last fall, an updated COVID-19 booster became available for everyone 6 months and older. Everyone should get an updated booster at least two months after their last dose, regardless if it was the primary series or a booster. You can get a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as other vaccines too (2).

Everyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine every year. The influenza virus is very good at evading our immune systems. It mutates during viral replication so the antibodies that we create to recognize and fight off the flu one year are unable to recognize the mutated virus in the following year. This is why we need a new flu vaccine each year (3).

There are six different types of flu vaccines available. Standard flu vaccines are grown in eggs, but if you have an egg allergy, there are cell-based or recombinant vaccines that are egg-free. There are high dose and adjuvanted vaccines that are made for those who are at higher risk of complications from the flu, such as people older than 65 or who are immunocompromised. There is also a nasal mist vaccine that has a weakened version of the live virus grown in eggs. Because it is a live vaccine, it is not recommended for pregnant people, immunocompromised people, or people with certain medical conditions (4). Most people need only one dose of the vaccine each year, but children under eight who have never gotten the vaccine will need two doses the first time they receive it (5).

You can get a flu or COVID-19 vaccine from your local pharmacy, local health department or your doctor. If you have questions about which vaccine is best for you, you can ask your local health department, doctor or pharmacist.

We all want to make the best choices we can to keep ourselves and our families healthy. Boost Oregon is here to empower you to make science-based vaccine decisions. If you still have questions about COVID-19 or flu vaccines, please visit https://www.boostoregon.org/covid19 or https://www.boostoregon.org/info-for-parents#resources or reach out at info@boostoregon.org. We are always listening.