SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Public health officials, including the CDC and FDA, have announced their forecast and guidance for the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season.
Despite a busy summer as a result of COVID-19, they say winter may not be as bad as feared.
“We can expect a similar or slightly improved trend in hospitalization rates when we look at COVID-19, influenza and RSV together,” said CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen. “But I want to emphasize again that there are a number of assumptions built into this.”
This also includes whether or not people use the means to contain infections and diseases.
Cohen says testing, treatments and vaccines remain top priorities – especially when it comes to COVID-19.
MORE: US is experiencing the largest summer COVID wave in at least two years, according to CDC data
“It’s changing faster than even the flu virus,” Cohen said. “So we need to continue to be vigilant. Yes, it’s endemic. It’s here among us. We need to protect ourselves, and we have the tools to do it. We just need to use them.”
The government will again provide four free COVID-19 tests per household, and the CDC has allocated $62 million to state and local programs to provide vaccines to uninsured and underinsured adults.
This will prepare them for the updated COVID-19 vaccine recently approved by the FDA, which targets the predominant KP.2 variant.
“All of these vaccines prevent the worst of these infections,” Cohen said. “That means fewer doctor visits, fewer hospital stays and more time to enjoy the fall and winter with family and loved ones.”
The CDC recommends that everyone six months of age and older get the current COVID-19 and flu vaccines. You can even get the vaccines at the same time.
MORE: More than half of US states report ‘very high’ COVID activity levels: CDC
At the same time, they recommend that people aged 60 and over, infants and pregnant women in the 32nd to 36th week of pregnancy should also receive the RSV vaccine.
The updated COVID-19 vaccine will be available soon, but Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UCSF, recommends waiting until October to best avoid severe illness and infection.
“Right after October, there are a lot of events – Thanksgiving, holidays and holiday parties and travel,” Chin-Hong said. “So if I want to get the most bang for my buck, that’s that time period because that’s when the antibodies peak.”
If you have recently been infected with COVID-19 or have recently received a COVID-19 vaccination, Chin-Hong recommends waiting at least two months for the new vaccine.
Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.
