Vaccines are an important hot topic on which it is essential to stay informed. As the holidays approach and people prepare to celebrate with family, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly recommends that everyone who has not yet received the latest respiratory disease vaccinations do it now to avoid getting sick and spreading the disease.
For the first time, vaccines are available to protect against Covid-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
However, there is a need to rapidly increase vaccination coverage in the face of a surge in respiratory illnesses, the CDC stressed in a press release last week. Vaccination rates among children and adults remain low while viral 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, shares the CDC’s concerns about Covid-19.
“The number of Covid-19 hospitalizations is increasing rapidly,” Dr. Hotez said, adding that the new JN.1 subvariant is on the rise.
According to CDC estimates, the JN.1 strain is responsible for approximately 20% of new Covid-19 infections in the United States. This is the fastest-spreading sub-variant of the coronavirus in the country and is already dominant in the Northeast.
Dr Hotez points out that the combination of a new sub-variant, low vaccination rates and an increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations could lead to a “pretty severe Covid wave” as we begin the new year.
What can you do to protect yourself? According to the CDC, vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from serious complications of these viral respiratory illnesses. Vaccines also help relieve pressure on hospitals by preventing a surge in patient numbers.
Before Christmas, vaccination will play an important role in preventing the spread of the virus. According to airline industry lobbying organization Airlines for America, airlines are expected to carry nearly 3 million passengers per day during the holiday season.
However, if you have not yet received your Covid-19 vaccine and are concerned about contracting the virus while traveling over the holidays, even if you have received previous vaccinations, you are unlikely to be fully protected in time for Christmas, according to Dr. Hotez.
“If you have already been vaccinated, you will develop protective immunity through virus-neutralizing antibodies about two weeks after vaccination,” he explains..
In theory, if you get vaccinated on December 22, your full immunity won’t kick in until January 5. However, it can sometimes start earlier, depending on the person.
“Since most people have already been vaccinated before or been infected, it does not take much time for the immune system to start producing antibodies,” says disease specialist Dr Peter Chin-Hong. Infectious Diseases at the University of California, San Francisco.
If you have some immunity to Covid-19 and decide to get vaccinated now, experts say you could be protected in time for the New Year.
Dr. Chin-Hong adds that protection against Covid-19 is best about three to six months after vaccination, so it’s best to get vaccinated as soon as possible, even if you’re past the holiday “deadline.”
And even if you don’t have any protection against Covid-19, there are plenty of precautions you can take to avoid becoming infected, like wearing a high-quality mask – like an N95 – in crowded spaces like the airport.
Wearing a mask is essential in spaces with limited ventilation and airflow, such as stuffy boarding bridges where passengers wait for their flights. Dr Chin-Hong also emphasizes that masks should be worn during flights, even if there is good ventilation, to provide additional protection against people coughing and sneezing.
If you are infected with a respiratory virus but do not have pronounced symptoms, wearing a mask can also protect other unvaccinated people.
“We usually think of wearing a mask as something people do to keep from getting sick, but if you have mild symptoms, wearing a mask will prevent other people from getting what you have, even if it’s mild. “It’s just a common cold,” says Dr. Chin-Hong.
It can also be helpful to have a protective mask in your pocket, purse, or backpack in case you find yourself in a difficult situation and need to put it on as a last resort.
Handwashing is a good habit to practice all year round, but especially during the holidays, adds Dr. Chin-Hong. If soap and water are not available, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can kill many germs, according to the CDC. It is also advisable to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth to avoid spreading germs.
Finally, the best advice for participating in Christmas and New Year events this year is: if you are sick, stay home.
“If you’re sick and contagious, no one wants to be around you,” Dr. Hotez says. “You’re not doing anyone a favor.”.
If you’re feeling unwell but aren’t sure what germ you might have, Dr. Chin-Hong recommends getting tested for Covid-19, flu and RSV.
“It’s difficult to focus on the symptoms alone,” he explains. “Getting a test is an important step in determining what type of infection you have.”