Q1. Are flu and COVID-19 still a serious threat to public health?
Both flu and COVID-19 remain significant health threats, causing thousands of hospitalizations and deaths annually. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), from October 1, 2023 through June 1, 2024, there were estimated to have been at least 35 million flu illnesses, 390,000 hospitalizations, and 24,000 deaths. In that same period, approximately 44,000 deaths were attributed to COVID-19 in the US.
Q2. Why do flu and COVID-19 vaccines need to be updated more frequently than other vaccines?
Flu and COVID-19 viruses change through a process called mutation. These mutations help the viruses avoid our natural immune responses and the protection provided by vaccines. By mutating, flu and COVID-19 viruses can move more easily from person to person and reproduce faster, ensuring their survival.
Flu and COVID-19 viruses mutate frequently, and the vaccines have been updated accordingly. CDC is recommending that all Americans six months and older get an updated flu and COVID-19 vaccine in the fall, regardless of whether they’ve been vaccinated against the virus in the past.
Q3. Why are older adults at higher risk for flu or COVID-19?
As people age, their immune systems tend to weaken, making it harder for their bodies to fight off infections and diseases. Many older adults have chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or respiratory issues that can exacerbate the effects of flu or COVID-19. Therefore, they are more likely to experience severe complications from the flu, or COVID-19, and recovery from illnesses can be slower, and more complicated in older adults due to the body’s reduced ability to repair and heal itself.
Many infectious disease experts stress the importance of vaccination for people who are over 65 or who have underlying health conditions. People close to them should also be vaccinated to protect their loved ones. We should make the annual flu shot and annual COVID shot part of our health maintenance.
Also Read: Ask NAPCA – Important information on the COVID-19 vaccine
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