COVID

An updated COVID-19 booster is expected to be available by the middle of next month

An updated COVID-19 booster is expected to be available by the middle of next month

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An updated COVID-19 booster is expected to be available by the middle of next month

Fall is right around the corner, and as people prepare for cooler temperatures, health experts say they should also prepare for flu season.

The Department of Health and Human Services declared the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency earlier this year. However, that does not mean that the virus is gone for good. In fact, health officials say there are new variants that people should be protecting themselves from, especially ahead of flu season.

"The virus is here, it's never going to go away," said Allegheny Health Network's Dr. Brian Lamb. "It's going to continue to circle the globe, but what we can do is protect everybody and protect ourselves."

Lamb says the best form of protection comes in the form of a vaccine. This year is the first time that there are three vaccines available that combat viral upper respiratory infections, like COVID-19, the flu, and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus. Lamb says we've seen the issues that upper respiratory infections can cause in both the young and old.

"We've never had this many options to protect people. This is one of the positives that you could say — if any — came out of the pandemic," Lamb said.

Dr. Barbara Nightingale is the medical director for the Allegheny County Health Department. She says people should be cautious and concerned about all three diseases this fall.

"They are really hard to distinguish from one another," Nightingale said. "So the better immunity you can have for all of them, the better off you are,"

An updated COVID-19 booster is expected to be available by the middle of next month. The new version of the booster, according to officials, will be targeted to protect against newer variants of the virus.

"They are constantly looking at what data we have available about the variants that are circulating," Nightingale said.

When it comes to the timing of the COVID-19 booster shot, Nightingale suggests talking to your doctor to determine if you should get the booster now or wait for the updated version. Lamb had a similar opinion. He shared that if a person is not at severe risk of catching COVID-19, he or she may be better off waiting for the new booster.

When it comes to flu shots, experts say everyone six months and older should get a shot every year. Most doctors recommend getting a flu vaccine in September or early October. Doctors say it's OK to get both the booster and flu shot at the same time.

New this year, RSV vaccines are now available as well. Experts say these shots will offer protection for demographics that are particularly vulnerable to the virus, including the very young and the very old.