Respiratory illness season is around the corner. Don't get caught off guard!
postedThe leaves are turning, the temperature is cooling—and respiratory illness season is starting. It's simple to keep you and your loved ones healthy through the winter.
Get your annual vaccine for COVID, flu, and/or RSV.
Getting your annual flu and COVID shots (and getting a one-time RSV shot) are part of staying healthy through the winter respiratory illness season.
In Wisconsin, you can get flu and COVID vaccines if you want one and are eligible. You can get vaccinated at your doctor's office or many local pharmacies. Many pharmacies have annual COVID and flu vaccines available for adults currently.
You shouldn't need a prescription for children 3 and up, although this can vary by pharmacy for children. For children under 12, it's a good idea to call the pharmacy first to make sure they can vaccinate your child. Some may not have COVID vaccines for children until October. If you're finding pediatric doses hard to find, we know that Fitchburg Family Pharmacy has COVID vaccines for children 3 and up without a prescription, or you can reach out to your pediatrician.
Most insurance companies are covering COVID, flu, and RSV vaccines, but you can check with your insurance to be sure about which vaccines and pharmacies are covered under your plan.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has released Wisconsin's recommendations for COVID, flu, and RSV vaccines based on consensus guidelines from national medical societies, like the American Academy of Pediatrics. Here's what they recommend you get this fall:
Updated COVID vaccines are recommended for most people, especially young children, older adults, and people with chronic illnesses.
Read the full COVID guidance from DHS on their website.
| Population | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Children age 6-23 months | One updated COVID vaccine |
| Children age 2-18 | One updated COVID vaccine if higher risk or if parent/guardian desires child to be protected |
Adults age 19-64 Including pregnant, postpartum, and lactating people | One updated COVID vaccine Pregnant people recommended to get vaccinated during pregnancy |
| Adults age 65+ | Two updated COVID vaccines, spaced 6 months apart |
| Immunocompromised people | Two updated COVID vaccines with second vaccine 2-6 months after first (consult your healthcare provider for timing and specific guidance for your condition) |
Flu vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
Read the full flu guidance on the DHS website.
| Population | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Children age 6 months to 8 years who have never been vaccinated for flu | Two flu vaccines, with second dose at least 4 weeks after first dose |
| Children age 6 months to 8 years who have been vaccinated for flu in the past | One flu vaccine |
People age 9-64 Including pregnant, postpartum, and lactating people | One flu vaccine Pregnant people recommended to get vaccinated during pregnancy |
| Adults age 65+ | One enhanced flu vaccine (higher dose) |
RSV vaccines are recommended once for certain populations.
Read the full RSV guidance on the DHS website.
| Population | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Newborn infants and young children | Monoclonal antibody from October-March; one time for most infants |
| Pregnant people | One dose one time between September – March 1; not needed in subsequent pregnancies |
| Adults 75+ or adults 50-74 at increased risk (chronic conditions, immuno-compromised, or living in nursing homes) | One dose, one time; year-round |
We make keeping up with illness trends easy on our dashboard.
We update our dashboard weekly with information about COVID, flu, and RSV trends (and more!). We use emergency department data, lab testing data, and school data to track which illnesses are spreading in our local communities.
Check out the respiratory dashboard
New this year is a “what else is going around" page, where we will track symptoms like sore throat and fever. This can help us capture illnesses by symptom, as many common colds and other viruses are not always tested for. We update every Thursday, so you can check back weekly at the link above. We'll be launching these changes later in September, so keep an eye out!
Take other steps to keep yourself and others healthy.
Aside from vaccines, there are lots of things you can do to help keep yourself and others healthy during respiratory illness season. Try layering on these methods:
- Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
- Cover coughs and sneezes.
- Consider wearing a mask in crowded indoor settings.
- Stay home from work and school if you're sick.
- If you get COVID or flu and are at higher risk, talk to your healthcare provider about antiviral prescriptions.
- If you're higher risk, take extra caution.
- You can find more guidance on the DHS website.
Some people who are higher risk or work in communal environments like schools like to use our respiratory illness dashboard to decide when to layer on prevention measures. Check it out!
This content is free for use with credit to Public Health Madison & Dane County .