Many respiratory viruses circulate in the fall and winter seasons causing illness of varying severity across the United States. Three common viruses include flu, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and COVID-19. There are factors, such as having a chronic lung disease that increase your risk for severe illness from respiratory viruses. Learn more about these risk factors, how to help prevent infectious respiratory illnesses and where to get more information.

Who Is at Higher Risk?

Anyone can get sick from an infectious respiratory illness; however, some people are at increased risk of getting severe illnesses. Some risk factors include:

  • Age
    • Children under 5 have developing immune systems and smaller lungs and airways.
    • Older adults experience natural weakening of the immune system, making it more difficult to defend against infectious respiratory diseases. The risk of getting severe illness increases with age.
  • Underlying Medical Conditions
    • People with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from infectious respiratory diseases. An individual with asthma, for example, may already have increased swelling and mucus production in their airways. The addition of a respiratory virus such as flu can further increase swelling and mucus production making it harder for the body to deal with the stress from the flu infection. A few examples of underlying medical conditions include:
      • Chronic lung diseases, like asthma and COPD
      • Heart disease
      • Diabetes
      • Weakened immune system

Tools Available to Help Prevent Severe Illness from flu, RSV and COVID-19

Vaccines

Talk to your doctor to see if you are up to date on your vaccinations. 

  • Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older.
  • RSV vaccination is recommended for all adults 75 years of age and older, and 60-74 at increased risk for severe RSV illness.
  • COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older.
  • RSV vaccination is recommended as an option to help protect babies from severe RSV illness and is given during weeks 32-36 of pregnancy typically in September through January.
Learn more about COVID-19, flu and RSV vaccines

RSV preventive antibodies

If you have an infant or are an expectant parent, talk to your healthcare provider about a RSV preventive antibody to help provide protection against severe RSV illness.

This preventive antibody is recommended for all infants under 8 months of age and babies/toddlers between 8-19 months who are at increased risk of severe RSV and is typically given in October through March.

Tests

There are tests available to help tell your healthcare provider which virus you have. Testing can help inform next steps such as treatment. Talk to your healthcare provider about testing right away if you get sick, especially if you are at increased risk for severe illness.

Did You Know?

At the end of September, you can order 4 free COVID-19 tests that can be used through the end of the year.
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Antivirals

There are antiviral medications available for flu and COVID-19. Antivirals may lower your risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death if started early and within the recommended window for the treatment.

Everyday Habits to Help Protect Against Illness

Handwashing. Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water isn’t available.

Cover your cough and sneeze. Use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze. You can use your elbow if a tissue is not available.

Keep your distance from people that are sick. While this is not always possible, the closer you are to an individual that is sick, the more likely you are to be exposed to respiratory droplets containing a virus.

Stay home when you are sick. In addition to staying home when you are sick, try your best to keep your distance from others in your home to help prevent them from getting sick.

Clean and disinfect. When someone is sick in the home, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces is especially important to help prevent spreading illness to other members of the home.

Improve Indoor Air. Virus particles can build up indoors, especially when you host a gathering. You can improve the air indoors by opening windows, using exhaust fans, filtering the air with portable HEPA filters and using your home’s HVAC system set to ‘on’ when you have visitors.

Mask wearing. You may choose to wear a mask to help provide protection against circulating viruses. Masks can help protect people at higher risk of serious illness. Their effectiveness does vary depending on the virus and mask quality.


FAQs About Immunizations

Generally, the best time to receive a flu shot is in September or October before flu starts spreading widely in the community. You can certainly be vaccinated after October as it will be beneficial well into the season as long as flu is circulating.

COVID-19 vaccines will become broadly available in September. You can schedule a vaccine appointment at that time.

Adults who are eligible for an RSV vaccine can receive an RSV vaccine anytime. However, the best time is before RSV starts spreading in the late summer and early fall.

Yes. Protection from vaccination decreases over time. The 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccines have been updated to give you the best protection against the strains that are currently circulating. It is especially important to be vaccinated you are 65 or older, are high risk because of an underlying medical condition like chronic lung disease or cancer or want to lower your risk of Long COVID.

No. An RSV vaccine is not currently an annual vaccine like the flu shot. If you already received one, you do not need another at this time.

Studies are being done to look at how long immune protection lasts from RSV vaccines.

No. Most infants don’t need protection from both. There are always rare exceptions to the rule, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns. They are there to help answer your questions and ease your concerns.

Yes. Even if you had COVID-19, you should get a COVID-19 vaccine because it helps provide additional protection. You can choose to delay vaccination by 3 months after your bout of COVID-19. However, if you are at increased risk for severe COVID-19, someone you live with is at increased risk for severe disease or there is a lot of COVID-19 circulating in your community, you may want to get vaccinated sooner than the three months.

If you are eligible for all three vaccines, yes. For some people that is more convenient. It is also perfectly acceptable to choose to get your vaccines at different visits. There is no minimum waiting time between visits. The most important thing is to get all the vaccinations recommended for you.

Want to learn more about coverage for respiratory immunizations? Check out the coverage rules for your plan.
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Want to learn more about COVID-19 vaccination, testing and treatment coverage and availability? The Lung Association has compiled the information for you.
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