Absent vaccinations, holiday gatherings are a primary way the flu and other respiratory illnesses spread, and medical professionals at UW Health are encouraging people to get vaccinated now before the holidays get into full swing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees with them, recommending a flu shot and updated COVID-19 vaccination for nearly everyone aged 6 months and older.
Dr. Jim Conway, medical director of the UW Health Immunization Program and an infectious disease physician with UW Health Kids, said vaccination remains the best way to reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death.
“Respiratory viruses are unpredictable,” Conway said in a press release. “While older adults, infants and people with underlying health conditions are at greater risk for severe disease, we also see healthy children and adults become seriously ill every year.
“Vaccination remains one of the safest and most effective tools we have to protect ourselves and those around us.”
UW Health physicians also stress protection against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, particularly for vulnerable populations such as newborns, young infants and older adults.
RSV is a common virus but it can cause severe illness, especially in babies during their first year of life and people older than 75.
Updated recommendations have expanded vaccine eligibility for certain high-risk children — premature infants and children with underlying medical conditions — who are entering their second RSV season.
Everyone is encouraged to review their overall vaccination status for measles, mumps and rubella, and shingles.
“It is safe to receive multiple vaccines during the same visit,” Conway said. “For many people, getting recommended vaccines at the same appointment is the most convenient way to stay protected and avoid missing important preventive care.”
UW Health patients aged 4 and older can get vaccinated at the John Wall Drive Thru Clinic, located at 3819 John Wall Drive, Madison.
