(Family Features) Staying up to date on recommended vaccines is important during pregnancy. This is especially true during the winter months when more people tend to get sick from flu, COVID-19 and RSV. These viruses can be especially dangerous for pregnant people and babies.

Vaccines are an important part of routine pregnancy care, both for you and your baby. Getting vaccinated against flu and COVID-19 can cut your risk of hospitalization by about half.

Now is the time to get vaccinated if you haven’t already. Flu vaccines help protect you from getting the flu and getting seriously ill, so it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment now. The latest COVID-19 vaccines are important too because they lower your risk of serious illness. An RSV vaccine may also be recommended for when you are 32-36 weeks pregnant. Be sure to talk to your doctor.

“Right now, we are seeing a concerning increase in cases of respiratory diseases, such as the flu, COVID-19 and RSV,” said Adm. Rachel Levin, MD, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “I encourage all pregnant people to take preventive action to protect their health and the health of their baby. The best and safest way to do this is to get vaccinated. Getting vaccinated is easy and is usually covered by insurance.”

Help Protect Your Baby 
When you get flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, you’re helping protect your baby by passing your immunity on to them. Getting vaccinated against flu, COVID-19 and RSV during pregnancy can protect your baby during the first 6 months of life. These viruses can be very harmful to newborns. In fact, RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants

Talk to Your Doctor About Timing
Millions of people in the U.S. have already gotten vaccinated against flu, COVID-19 and RSV this season. If you haven’t gotten your vaccines yet, be sure to talk with your doctor. They can help you choose the right vaccines and determine the best timing to help protect you and your baby.

Get the Facts
Getting vaccinated can give you peace of mind, ensuring you have done everything you can to protect yourself and your baby from serious respiratory illness. Information can give you power and comfort, especially when you’re pregnant.

Go to cdc.gov/RiskLessDoMore to learn more about flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, or go to vaccines.gov to get started today.

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Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

(Family Features) This year, make a plan to keep your family healthy by helping them get vaccinated for respiratory infections like flu, COVID-19 and RSV. These respiratory illnesses are more likely to become serious for people who are not up to date on their vaccines.

In colder months, respiratory viruses tend to surge, and people spend more time indoors where they are more likely to be exposed. These respiratory infections can cause serious illness and hospitalization. This season’s flu and COVID-19 vaccines, as well as the RSV vaccine, are the best way to help your family risk less serious illness and do more of what they enjoy.

What should your family know?
Vaccines can keep you and your family from getting very sick from respiratory illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone ages 6 months and older get this season’s flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

In addition, all adults ages 75 and older – and those ages 60 and older with certain health conditions or who live in a nursing home – should get one dose of an RSV vaccine if they haven’t before. Pregnant people should also talk to their doctor about getting an RSV vaccine to protect their baby during their first 6 months of life.

Is your family at high risk?

It’s important to know the risks of getting very sick from flu, COVID-19 or RSV. According to the CDC, some people have a higher risk than others, including:

• People not up to date on their vaccines: Vaccines cut your risk of needing hospital care for flu or COVID-19 by about half, according to the CDC. In 2023, 90% of adults admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 were not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccine. People who skipped their flu shot were twice as likely to need to see a doctor for the flu.
• Older adults: Most flu, COVID-19 and RSV deaths are in people ages 65 and older. If you help care for an older family member or friend, let them know vaccines are their best protection from getting very sick.
• People with underlying health conditions: Heart and lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease and other chronic conditions can cause complications and more severe illness from flu, COVID-19 and RSV.
• Those who live in long-term care: Respiratory viruses can be a greater threat to older people in long-term care, who often have health issues that raise their risk of severe flu, COVID-19 or RSV.
• Pregnant people: Pregnancy raises the risk of severe illness from flu and COVID-19. Getting vaccinated during pregnancy helps protects the pregnant person and baby. An RSV vaccine during pregnancy protects the baby from severe RSV in their first 6 months of life.

Get your family vaccinated now for a healthy new year
Join the millions of people who’ve already gotten vaccinated this season. Take your family to get vaccinated now to risk less severe illness and do more of what you enjoy. It’s safe to get flu and COVID-19 vaccines (and an RSV vaccine, if eligible) at the same time.

Visit cdc.gov/RiskLessDoMore to learn more about flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines. Talk with your doctor about which vaccines are right for you or go to vaccines.gov to find a nearby pharmacy. You can order free COVID-19 test kits (up to four per household) at COVIDTests.gov. 

Know Your Risk 
In the United States, there are additional groups of people who are at higher risk from these respiratory illnesses.

• People in rural parts of the country: Vaccines matter even more in rural areas where there may be fewer doctors or clinics to help people who get very sick. Yet in these regions, less than half of adults got a flu vaccine last year. Fewer than 1 in 5 got an updated COVID-19 vaccine.
• Black and Hispanic people: At last year’s respiratory virus peak, Black people were more likely than white and Hispanic people to be in the hospital for flu, COVID-19 or RSV. By the end of last year’s virus season, Hispanic people were more likely than non-Hispanic white people to have been in the hospital for flu.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

(Family Features) A new year can bring feelings of hope and optimism. This can be especially true for pregnant people as they look forward to the arrival of their baby. Keeping themselves and their baby healthy is also a great New Year’s goal, and in the colder months, that means avoiding respiratory illnesses. Flu, COVID-19 and RSV – which are common in many parts of the country right now – can become severe, sometimes requiring hospital care.

Vaccines are the best protection against severe respiratory illness. They cut your risk of being in the hospital for flu or COVID-19 by about half and for RSV by about 70%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccines help pregnant people risk less severe illness and focus on preparing for their new baby.

How do vaccines protect pregnant people and babies?

Flu, COVID-19 and RSV can be very harmful to infants, especially in their first 6 months of life. Infants are at higher risk for serious flu-related illness and are hospitalized for COVID-19 at about the same rate as adults ages 65-74. RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization.



Getting vaccinated for flu and COVID-19 during your pregnancy can provide protection from serious respiratory illness for both you and for your infant in their first 6 months. Your immunity is passed along to your baby before birth.

An RSV vaccine during pregnancy can also protect your baby from severe RSV in their first 6 months. An RSV vaccine is recommended during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy if that period falls from September through January when RSV is more common.

It is safe for a pregnant person to get these vaccines at the same time. Any side effects from the vaccines are usually mild and go away on their own in a few days.

Get vaccinated for a healthy new year

Talk to your doctor or visit cdc.gov/RiskLessDoMore to learn more about flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines. Find a pharmacy near you at vaccines.gov. You can also order free COVID-19 test kits (up to four per household) at COVIDTests.gov.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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