Senior Health
The Big Picture: Dr. Puja Uppal says, “Another important tool for our toolbelt!”
In the news: Director Rochelle Walensky accepted the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation that people ages 60 and over should get the RSV vaccine. The Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine will be available in the fall of 2023.
The bulletin does not recommend that every person over the age of 60 get the new GSK or Pfizer RSV vaccine.
Rather, they recommend that the decision to get vaccinated emerge from a “shared clinical decision-making” process. Essentially, work with your healthcare team in Missouri. Get your personal risks assessed. And then, determine what’s the best course of action to take for your situation.
The FDA further clarified that the RSV vaccine is not a replacement or substitute for the common flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccines & boosters.
You should know that RSV can seriously harm people who have weakened immune systems. People who have heart or lung conditions and people who have chronic conditions like diabetes are at a much higher risk of getting RSV.
Getting or delaying the RSV vaccine may have direct health consequences for you in Jefferson City.
Doctor’s Expert Insights about the RSV Vaccine and Your Health in Missouri
Know this: “No doubt about it, this is huge news. Both for our seniors and people in general. RSV can be a rather serious condition. RSV can present as the common cold, but for older adults and people who have weakened immune systems, including people who have multiple chronic diseases, RSV can become very dangerous and even deadly. This vaccine will certainly help. Make sure to talk about your concerns with your healthcare team. You should know that RSV is responsible for roughly 60,000-120,000 hospitalizations and 6,000-10,000 deaths per year in the U.S. among adults 65 and older.” Dr. Adriana Davis, Family Medicine.
Next steps to take if you or someone in your life is considering getting the RSV vaccine: Ensure that you’re up to date on other vaccines that you may need–Shingles, the flu, and COVID-19. The NIH has a great resource on the different types of vaccines available and recommended for senior citizens. (Visit Resource Here)
Jefferson City Health Alert
RSV can be dangerous and fatal.
The Health Standard Newswire
Living in Jefferson City, the following health facts impact your health directly!
Did you know there were 884.0 deaths from Influenza/Pneumonia in Missouri in 2021?
6.3% of you in Cole County have COPD.
49.1% of men in Cole County, 65 years and older, are up to date on their core clinical preventative services.
40.4% of women in Cole County, 65 years and older, are up to date on their core clinical preventative services.
All of these variables play an important role in your overall health.
Health Standard Newswire: CDC Recommends Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine For Older Adults. June 2023.
What they’re saying:
“These new vaccines – which are the first ones licensed in the U.S. to protect against RSV – are expected to be available this fall. These vaccines provide an opportunity to help protect older adults against severe RSV illness at a time when multiple respiratory infections are likely to circulate. Healthcare providers should also talk to their adult patients about what other vaccines they will need this fall to help prevent respiratory infections.” (CDC Release)
“RSV is a highly contagious virus that causes infections of the lungs and breathing passages in individuals of all age groups. RSV circulation is seasonal, typically starting during the fall and peaking in the winter. In older adults, RSV is a common cause of lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD), which affects the lungs and can cause life-threatening pneumonia and bronchiolitis (swelling of the small airway passages in the lungs).” (FDA Statement)
Sources:
The FDA News Release published the findings: FDA Approves First Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine Arexvy Approved for Individuals 60 Years of Age and Older (Read it Here)
The Health Standard Newswire