ALBUQUERQUE, N. M. – As the fall and winter viral season approaches, three respiratory illnesses are on the radar.
That means doctors say you want to get 3 vaccines, but when will you get them?
Right now, there are at least six hundred cases of flu in the Albuquerque subway alone. This necessarily means that we are now in flu season.
With the spread of a new variant of COVID and RSV causing more people to be hospitalized, doctors say now is the time to get vaccinated.
“In recent years, fewer people have been vaccinated. And it’s really more vital to get a flu shot as soon as possible to protect yourself from the flu,” said Dr. Brown. Vesta Sandoval, marketing director of Lovelace Medical Center.
For the first time, the RSV vaccine is available to people 60 and older. The FDA also approved a COVID recall with an updated formula to target the new strain. It is expected to be implemented next week.
But can you take them at the same time?
“You can mix the injections,” Dr. Sandoval said.
If you are over age 65, you will be at risk for the flu. If you belong to this demographic, you will need a rapid flu vaccine.
“If possible, they get the quadrivalent flu vaccine in higher doses,” Dr. Sandoval said.
According to Sandoval, New Mexico has lagged behind in terms of vaccination. A study shows that the state ranks 18th in the country in vaccination during the formative years and 29th in the case of adults.
“We want to focus and try to vaccinate as many people as possible,” Sandoval said.
In turn, this will relieve pressure on hospitals for doctors.
“This will save you hospitalizations. To the point that, I would say, 26% of people might have a lower risk of hospitalization,” Sandoval said.
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