SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - As temperatures drop and kids get into the swing of school, respiratory illnesses start to spread. From the flu to RSV, cases tend to peak in the late fall. If you plan to get vaccinated and want to get covered before getting sick, it is time to start thinking about scheduling appointments.
"Getting it right about now, or just right early in the front end of October, is probably your best opportunity to kind of have the best possible immunity that you can throughout this upcoming respiratory season," said Dr. Ryan Jennings, Chief Medical Officer with HSHS St. Mary's Hospital. "It'll take a couple of weeks for your body to build up and take benefit from having had the vaccine."Â
Jennings said the RSV vaccine has become more significant as they see more people hospitalized from it. Unlike the flu, you do not have to get the vaccine annually.Â
Regardless of your vaccination status, it is still important to practice personal hygiene. Even with updated vaccines, you can still get infected.Â
"That doesn't mean that you won't get the flu, it just means that it will not make you as sick as it would have," said Hilary Yarnell, Clinic Supervisor at Sangamon County Department of Public Health. "So it is important to get it because you never know how sick you're going to be with the flu. So if you have the vaccine, it kind of protects you from getting really, really ill and going to the hospital."Â
Updated vaccines are especially important for people who are immunocompromised, pregnant, or elderly. If you have questions about your vaccine status or which vaccines you should get, contact your healthcare provider. Many local health departments are hosting vaccine clinics in the coming weeks.Â
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