San Mateo County health officials have urged residents six months and older to receive the seasonal flu vaccine as well as get vaccinated against COVID-19, a vaccine that has been updated and was approved this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, for its acronym in English).
Fall and winter mark the traditional flu season, as more activities take place indoors and holiday travel increases. However, COVID-19 is more transmissible in confined spaces, so there is an increased risk of respiratory viruses during this period.
Given this, the CDC recommends receiving the flu and COVID vaccines at the same time.
County residents should contact their primary healthcare provider or local pharmacy to obtain flu and COVID-19 vaccines, which are available at no cost to those with insurance.
However, many pharmacies are offering free COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured residents.
Residents without health coverage can also contact County Health at (650) 573-2877 or email SMCHealth_IZ@smcgov.org to learn how to access flu and COVID-19 vaccines at no cost.
For its patients, San Mateo Medical Center is updating its systems and processes to reflect new COVID-19 guidelines and will offer vaccination once the updated vaccine is available.
It is important to be up to date with flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.
Flu vaccines are formulated annually to target influenza strains expected to circulate during the fall and winter months. Similarly, the updated COVID-19 vaccine targets newly circulating variants and offers broad protection against the worst outcomes of the disease.
“If you are eligible, now is a good time to receive the flu vaccine and the updated COVID vaccine to help protect you from serious illness and hospitalization in the upcoming respiratory virus season,” said Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana, San Mateo County Health Officer.
Respiratory virus season also sees a rise in cases of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), which causes symptoms similar to those of COVID-19 and the flu.
The CDC says adults age 60 and older can receive a single dose of the RSV vaccine, depending on discussions between the patient and healthcare provider.
The RSV vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccines. Residents should consult their healthcare provider.
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