CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is urging the public to get educated about how to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses by listening to a new edition of the Department’s “This is Public Health” Podcast. The discussion features the state’s chief medical officer and the state epidemiologist discussing the outlook for the coming respiratory virus season, the efficacy of vaccines, and prevention measures.
“As summer comes to an end, there is no better time than now to start preparing for the upcoming fall/winter respiratory viral season,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “RSV, COVID-19, and flu are all expected to increase, and Illinoisans should begin using all the available tools, including vaccines, to prevent illness for themselves and their loved ones. IDPH is already closely monitoring the situation and making educational resources available to our residents, including easy-to-listen-to podcasts. Listen to our brand new respiratory-virus themed episode of IDPH’s ‘This is Public Health’ podcast featuring our Chief Medical Officer and State Epidemiologist.”
The new episode is being released as the data displayed on IDPH’s Seasonal Respiratory Illness Dashboard shows that hospital admissions for COVID-19 are trending down slightly, at 2.4% of admissions, and Illinois’ overall respiratory illness level is listed by the CDC as minimal.
The FDA and CDC have approved new vaccines for this fall for COVID-19, flu and RSV. The new Covid vaccines and the new flu shots are recommended for everyone over the age of 6 months. The RSV vaccine is recommended for everyone 75 years and older, however, if you got an RSV shot last winter, you do not need another at this time, according to CDC guidance. Those in the late stages of pregnancy are advised to get the RSV immunization is designed to protect newborns.
On the new IDPH podcast, IDPH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Arti Barnes addresses concerns about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. “There is always a small risk of potential side effects from vaccines, but for the most part these vaccines are extremely safe,” she said. “The risk of NOT getting vaccinated is so much higher that there really is no comparison. Vaccination not just prevents serious illness from Covid, it protects you from long Covid symptoms too.”
State epidemiologist Graham Briggs makes the point that vaccines also have the benefit of protecting family and friends who might be vulnerable to severe illness.
“One thing we want to encourage people to be thinking about is not just getting vaccinated to protect themselves, but vaccinating to protect loved ones,” Briggs said. “If you have elderly people at home, or immune-compromised people at home or young infants around – that is something to keep in mind to help protect those people around you.”
In addition, IDPH officials are stressing that one of the best ways to reduce transmission of viruses is to stay home when you are sick. “Stay home from work and try to minimize your exposure to other people as long as you have a fever, until you are feeling better and fever-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medications, before you start acclimating back into normal life,” Briggs said.
The new vaccines are widely available at pharmacies and through hospitals, and community health clinics. The major pharmacy chains allow you to make an appointment to get a shot online. For help finding a provider of vaccines near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.
The “This is Public Health” podcast generally drops new episodes twice a month. Recent episodes covered “Substance Use and Overdose Awareness” and “Protecting Our Future: The Power of Childhood Immunizations.”