If you are planning to receive your flu, RSV, or COVID-19 vaccine, now is the time!
Alameda Health System saw an uptick in COVID-19 cases in August and September, driven by the new “Stratus” variant. Next comes respiratory virus season.
“The swell of seasonal COVID-19 cases appears to have peaked in Alameda County and is now on the decline,” says Dr. Deborah Ellis, AHS Director of Infection Prevention and Control. “We are hopeful this trend continues. But we are headed into respiratory virus season, which officially begins November 1 and runs through April 30. Experts project that we will see similar rates of RSV and flu this year as we did last year.”
Flu, RSV, and COVID-19 often cause similar symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish one infection from another without testing. Your best protection is vaccination against all three.
This year, changes in federal vaccine guidance from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) caused confusion about vaccine eligibility and access. It is important to remember that federal recommendations are guidance, not law. States may adopt stricter public health policies and can issue their own immunization directives.
Last month, California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii formed the West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA) to issue coordinated vaccine recommendations for the respiratory virus season. The WCHA was created in response to concerns about declining trust in the CDC, and it ensures consistent guidance across our region. California also recently enacted Assembly Bill (AB) 144, a law requiring the state to base immunization guidance on recommendations from independent medical organizations, rather than relying solely on the CDC.
Read more in this month’s Healthy Alameda column in the Alameda Post.