What We Know About Flu and COVID Vaccines This Fall

Flu

What is the flu?

The flu is an illness caused by flu viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. Anyone can get the flu. Symptoms can include fever, cough, fatigue, headache, and a runny or stuffy nose. A person with the flu can spread the virus when they cough, sneeze, or speak with others from a close distance.

What are the vaccine recommendations?

The CDC recommends the flu vaccine for anyone ages 6 months and older. It’s best practice to get your flu shot by Halloween to help protect you throughout the fall and winter. If you’re pregnant, getting the flu shot during pregnancy can help protect your baby in their first six months of life, before they’re able to get their own flu vaccine.

The bottom line: The single most effective thing you can do to avoid the flu is to get vaccinated every year.

Getting an annual flu vaccine is the best protection against the flu for everyone ages 6 months or older. There are many different options for getting up to date at no cost to you. We have flu vaccine in our clinics now, but we can only vaccinate people who meet certain criteria. We do recommend making an appointment to make sure we have enough vaccine.

COVID-19

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a virus that infects the lungs and breathing passages. Anyone can get sick with COVID. You’re more likely to get very sick if you are 65 years or older, unvaccinated or not up to date on COVID vaccinations, or if you have certain medical conditions. COVID can spread when a sick person coughs, sneezes, or speaks with others from a close distance.

What are the vaccine recommendations?

Shifting federal guidance has made seasonal COVID vaccination recommendations more complicated. On September 16, Governor Tony Evers issued a statewide standing medical order. The standing order allows anyone 6 months and older to get the vaccine without a prescription and at no cost.

Because of ongoing confusion at the federal level, all COVID vaccine is getting shipped to pharmacies and providers later than usual. This means it may take extra time to get an appointment.

At Public Health, we plan to offer free COVID vaccines to eligible children and uninsured adults. However, as of October 7, we do not yet have COVID vaccine supply in our clinics yet, we will share an update as soon as we have one.

The bottom line: In Wisconsin, you can and should get the COVID booster to protect against severe illness due to COVID.

Getting the COVID vaccine remains our best protection against serious illness. This guidance echoes the science-based recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Call your doctor, pharmacy, or insurer to best understand the most up-to-date information on how to access your COVID vaccine this fall.