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MISSION, Kan., Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- (Family Features) As people prepare to gather with family and friends this holiday season, it's important to think about health and safety. "With the holidays just around the corner, now is the perfect time to think about how you can help protect yourself from serious illness from flu, COVID-19 and RSV – and support your loved ones in doing the same," said Dr. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). "Vaccination is an important step in having a happy and healthy celebration." Continue Reading Photo courtesy of Shutterstock While preparing for holiday festivities, keep these recommendations in mind to help protect yourself from severe flu, COVID-19 and RSV. Flu: Flu season usually peaks during the winter months, so now is a great time to get the 2024-25 flu vaccine. It's recommended for people 6 months and older to lower their risk of infection or serious illness from the flu. In fact, people who skipped their flu shot last year were twice as likely to need medical help for the flu. The best time to get vaccinated is at least a couple of weeks before a holiday gathering. But getting vaccinated later in the season can still help. Encourage your family and friends to get the flu vaccine, too. Together you can create safer holiday celebrations. COVID-19: Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is also important for everyone ages 6 months and older. The updated COVID-19 vaccines offer the best protection against serious illness from the virus, especially for those at higher risk. This includes people with certain health conditions or older adults, which may include parents, grandparents and great aunts or uncles. By getting vaccinated, people of all ages can lower their risk of getting severely sick. In fact, young adults are at higher risk of developing Long COVID than older adults. However, staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines lowers your risk of Long COVID, too. RSV: RSV can be especially risky for older adults and babies. That's why everyone 75 and older, people 60-74 with certain health conditions or who live in a nursing home and pregnant people should get the RSV vaccine. Pregnant people should get the RSV vaccine at 32-36 weeks of pregnancy to help protect their newborns from severe RSV during their first six months of life. As you prepare for the holidays, remember that prevention is the best way to keep from getting seriously sick from flu, COVID-19 and RSV. By getting vaccinated now, you can enjoy the holiday season with greater confidence and less risk of missing time together. Being vaccinated helps keep your symptoms milder if you get infected after vaccination so you can do the things you want to do with less risk of spreading infection. Talk with your doctor about which vaccines are right for you as well as for any loved ones you help care for. Visit cdc.gov/RiskLessDoMore for more information on vaccines, or visit vaccines.gov to get started. The Effects of Flu, COVID-19 and RSV on Different Populations People who are Black, Hispanic or who live in rural areas may be at higher risk of severe illness from flu, COVID-19 and RSV than others. Getting vaccinated is the best protection from getting seriously sick from these viruses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Last flu season, Black adults were more than twice as likely as white adults to be hospitalized for flu. Last flu season, Hispanic adults were more likely than white adults to be hospitalized for flu. One in 3 adults living in rural areas have never been vaccinated against COVID-19. For people living in rural areas, health services may be far away. That can mean it takes some planning to get vaccinated. But being far from medical care also means it's even more important to lower your risk of serious illness by getting vaccinated. Michael French [email protected] 1-888-824-3337 editors.familyfeatures.com About Family Features Editorial Syndicate A leading source for high-quality food, lifestyle and home and garden content, Family Features provides readers with topically and seasonally relevant tips, takeaways, information, recipes, videos, infographics and more. Find additional articles and information at Culinary.net and eLivingToday.com. SOURCE Family Features Editorial Syndicate WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

THURSDAY, Dec. 12, 2024 -- In new data posted this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 37 percent of children had received the influenza vaccine as of Nov. 30 -- down from 43 percent at the same time last year. This decline is raising concerns among pediatricians, who are already seeing an uptick in flu cases this season. "I always have a little bit of dread when flu season is around the corner," Kristina Bryant, M.D., a pediatric infectious disease doctor at Norton Children's in Louisville, Kentucky, told NBC News . "Children experience illness and suffering during flu season, and much of that can be prevented through vaccination." For the entirety of the last flu season, just over half of children -- 55 percent -- received the flu shot, marking the lowest rate in 12 years. Alicia Budd, head of the CDC domestic influenza surveillance team, told NBC News that while flu vaccination rates were slowly increasing before the pandemic, they have not rebounded since. This year's flu shot covers the two most common strains of the virus circulating, H1N1 and H3N2. Budd emphasized that any strain of the flu can be dangerous for children. The CDC continues to recommend that everyone aged 6 months and older get a flu shot every year. More Information Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.