As the temperatures drop and daylight hours shorten, people will begin to find themselves inside more often and among more people. Couple this with the fact that schools are back in session and this inevitably leads to the spread of flu, COVID-19 and RSV.

But there is a way to help lessen the effects, or even prevent, the three illnesses and that’s getting vaccinated.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, getting the flu can lead to health issues, missed workdays and hospitalizations. Anyone can get the flu and spread it, even if they feel healthy. Getting a flu vaccine annually does more than protect your health, the CDC states, it also helps prevent the flu from spreading and affecting young children, older people and people with chronic illnesses.

According to the CDC, from 2010 to 2020, flu has resulted in between 9 million and 41 million illnesses annually in the United States. And with COVID-19 cases rising, medical personnel need resources to treat COVID patients, so preventing the flu is important.

The CDC states COVID-19 is still a major cause of serious respiratory illnesses in the United States, with more than 200,000 deaths, including more than 600 in children and adolescents 0-19 years old, reported since January 2022.

According to Oregon.gov, for the week ending July 29, 2023, there were 2,158 total COVID tests reported to the state’s public health department, with 183 of them being positive. That’s a test positivity rate of 5.5%. For the week ending Sept. 23, the total tests were 3,391 with 487 positive tests for a positivity rate of 14.4%.

Due to rising numbers such as these, the CDC urges people to get vaccinated because it’s the most effective protection from severe illness. It’s recommending a COVID-19 vaccine update for 2023-24 for everyone aged 6 months and older to protect against serious illness.

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a mild, cold-like infection for most people, but it can be especially dangerous for babies and older adults. According to the website, RSV is the most common reason that infants get hospitalized. Between 2% and 3% of all infants in the U.S. are hospitalized because of it, the site states.

It also states that Oregonians age 60 and older may receive an RSV vaccine this fall. The FDA approved two RSV vaccines for older adults in May, and the CDC’s advisory committee voted that people 60 and older may receive a single dose of RSV vaccine, after discussing it with their health care provider.

Evidence presented to the CDC shows the vaccines to be 80% effective at preventing RSV infection in the adults studied. It is not yet known how long that protection will last, and whether people will need a booster year after year.

The website also states that RSV hospitalizes 60,000 to 80,000 adults a year in the United States. Older adults, and particularly those with underlying medical conditions, are at high risk.

The CDC states pregnant and recently pregnant women are at increased risk of being hospitalized with COVID-19 and flu. Babies are also more likely to get sick from COVID-19, flu and RSV. The CDC recommends COVID-19, flu and RSV vaccination for pregnant women to help protect themselves and their babies from the illnesses.

The vaccinations for all three illnesses are available. The science is solid and suggests people who are eligible for them to get vaccinated for a healthier fall and winter. What are you waiting for?