Conversation Starters
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Conversation Starters
Last Updated:
December 18, 2024
Should pregnant people get the RSV vaccine?
RSV is a common respiratory virus that can make some people—particularly babies, young children, and older adults—very sick.
- Symptoms typically appear four to six days after getting infected and may include a runny nose or congestion, coughing, sneezing, fever, decreased appetite, and wheezing.
- Infants with RSV may also show symptoms like irritability, decreased activity or appetite, and difficulty breathing.
- Every year, close to 60,000-80,000 U.S. children under 5 are hospitalized due to RSV. They may experience complications like pneumonia, bronchiolitis, or life-threatening pauses in breathing (called apnea).
- Babies who are born prematurely, have weakened immune systems, or have chronic lung disease are more likely to develop a severe infection.
Vaccines during pregnancy are a safe way to help protect infants from severe RSV.
- The CDC recommends one dose of Pfizer’s Abrysvo RSV vaccine for people who are between 32-36 weeks pregnant during September through January, when RSV is more likely to spread.
- New research suggests that getting vaccinated at 32 weeks of pregnancy may be best, since it gives the immune system more time to transfer antibodies to the developing fetus.
- Even though most adults are not at high risk for severe infection, pregnant people who receive an RSV vaccine pass protective antibodies to their developing fetus. That helps protect infants during the first six months of their life, when they are at the highest risk of a severe RSV infection.
- RSV vaccination during pregnancy has been shown to be safe, and side effects are typically mild.
- Babies younger than 8 months whose gestational parent did not receive an RSV vaccine during pregnancy should receive nirsevimab, an RSV antibody, between October and March to help protect against the virus. Nirsevimab is also recommended for some young children who are at increased risk of severe RSV.
Pregnant people can get an RSV vaccine at many pharmacies or from a health care provider, and it’s covered by most insurance plans.
- Those who are un- or underinsured or whose insurance plans do not cover RSV vaccination can explore coverage through state and local health departments, public insurance programs like Medicaid and CHIP, or pharmacy programs like GoodRx.
- It’s safe to get an RSV vaccine at the same time as other vaccines that are recommended during pregnancy.
- Those who received an RSV vaccine during a previous pregnancy do not need another one, but their babies should receive nirsevimab, which is typically covered by insurance. Children who do not have access to vaccines through family insurance can receive nirsevimab at no cost through the Vaccines for Children Program.
- Find pharmacies near you at Vaccines.gov.
Last Updated:
November 21, 2024
What should I know about whooping cough?
Whooping cough is a bacterial respiratory illness that can cause long-term symptoms and even death.
- Early symptoms typically appear five to 10 days after exposure and may include a runny or stuffy nose, a low fever, and a mild cough.
- One to two weeks after symptoms appear, some people may experience extreme coughing fits that can cause shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, vomiting, fatigue, and rib fractures. These fits usually last one to six weeks, but they can last up to 10 weeks after infection.
- About one in three babies under 1 year old who contract whooping cough require hospitalization. They may experience life-threatening pauses in breathing (called apnea), pneumonia, and other complications.
- Children and adults who have asthma or are immunocompromised are also more likely to develop severe symptoms.
Vaccines are the best way to protect against whooping cough.
- Two types of vaccines protect against whooping cough: The DTap vaccine is given to babies and children younger than 7 years old, while the Tdap vaccine is given to children 7 years and older and adults. Both vaccines protect against infections from diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough).
- The CDC recommends that pregnant people receive a single dose of the Tdap vaccine between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, as this lowers the risk of whooping cough in babies younger than 2 months old by 78 percent.
- Multiple doses are required for the best protection. Learn more about DTaP and Tdap vaccine schedules from the CDC, and talk to your health care provider about how many doses you and your children need.
If you or your child has symptoms of whooping cough, isolate them from vulnerable family members and seek treatment early to reduce the risk of serious illness.
- People with whooping cough can be contagious for weeks after infection.
- Health care providers typically prescribe antibiotics to those recovering from whooping cough at home.
- Over-the-counter cough and cold medicine is not recommended for children under 4 years old.
- Limiting smoke, dust, and chemical fumes at home and using a humidifier can reduce coughing.
- If you are caring for someone with whooping cough who exhibits pauses in breathing or develops gray or blue skin, call 911 immediately
Last Updated:
November 06, 2024
When should older adults get the COVID-19 and pneumococcal vaccines?
The CDC recommends that high-risk groups get an additional dose of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine after six months.
- These recommendations apply to people 65 and older and immunocompromised people.
- The shot will be an additional dose of the updated 2024-2025 Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax vaccines.
- It’s safe to receive additional vaccine doses from any of the three manufacturers, regardless of which COVID-19 vaccines you received in the past.
- Immunocompromised people may need more than two doses of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine and should discuss the best vaccine schedule for them with their health care provider.
- Anyone who has not yet received an updated COVID-19 vaccine can get it now. It’s safe to receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine, flu vaccine, and RSV vaccine (if eligible) at the same time.
- Find pharmacies with vaccines near you at Vaccines.gov.
Older adults and immunocompromised people need additional COVID-19 vaccines because they’re more vulnerable to a severe COVID-19 infection.
- Between October 2023 and April 2024, people 65 and older accounted for 70 percent of COVID-19-related hospitalizations. Compared to people between the ages of 18 and 39, people 75 and older were about nine times as likely to die from COVID-19 in 2021, but that margin has continually widened over time.
- Among adults who are hospitalized due to a COVID-19 infection, immunocompromised people are around 1.4 times more likely to die than those who are not immunocompromised.
- This increased risk of severe illness and death occurs because both older adults and immunocompromised people don’t make adequate germ-fighting cells, which makes it harder for their bodies to fight off COVID-19 and other infections.
- Older adults are also more likely to have underlying health conditions that increase the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, such as diabetes or heart disease.
- Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines reduces the likelihood of severe illness, hospitalization, long-term health complications, and death.
The pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for children under 5, adults 50 and older, and people at risk for severe pneumococcal disease.
- This vaccine protects against Streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacteria that can cause infections like pneumonia and meningitis, which are particularly dangerous for young children and older adults.
- About one in 12 children and one in six older adults who develop pneumococcal meningitis will die from the infection.
- Adults can get a pneumococcal vaccine at some pharmacies or at a health care provider’s office. Children may need to get vaccinated by their pediatrician.
Last Updated:
November 13, 2024
Why should my child get routine vaccines?
Unvaccinated children are at risk of serious illness, long-term health complications, and even death from preventable diseases.
- The flu and COVID-19 are among the leading causes of death for U.S. children. About 80 percent of children who died from the flu during the 2023-2024 flu season and had been eligible for a vaccine were not up to date on flu vaccines.
- Babies and young children are at high risk of complications from diseases like measles and whooping cough, which are on the rise.
- When children are up to date on vaccines, their immune systems are prepared to recognize germs and attack them before serious outcomes occur.
- Birthing and breastfeeding parents can pass some protective antibodies—disease-fighting proteins—to their infants; however, this form of immunity only lasts for a few weeks or months. Vaccines provide long-lasting protection.
The risk of complications from vaccine-preventable diseases is much higher than the risk of complications from vaccines themselves.
- Vaccines are rigorously tested before they’re approved for any age group, and severe side effects are extremely rare.
- After getting a vaccine, most children will only feel mild pain and a bit of swelling at the injection site.
- It’s safe for kids to receive multiple vaccines at once—including updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines, which are available now and recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
Now that children are back in school, they’re more likely to bring germs home and get sick—so it’s best to ensure that they’re up to date on vaccines ASAP.
- Recommended vaccines help prevent children from spreading dangerous illnesses to vulnerable family members, like newborns who are too young to get vaccinated and older adults.
- Learn when children should receive recommended vaccines and how many doses they’ll need from the CDC. Your child’s pediatrician can provide more information about getting up to date on vaccines.
- Children can get this season’s flu vaccine and the updated COVID-19 vaccine now. If children were recently infected by COVID-19, they can wait three months since their last COVID-19 infection. Find pharmacies near you at Vaccines.gov. Young children may need to get vaccinated by their pediatrician.
Last Updated:
November 13, 2024
How is COVID-19 different from the Flu?
COVID-19 and the flu cause similar symptoms, but COVID-19 symptoms can be more severe and may last longer.
- Symptoms of both COVID-19 and the flu may include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body pain, headache, fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea. The only way to know for sure if you have the flu, COVID-19, or both is by getting tested.
- People with the flu typically experience symptoms for one to four days after infection, while people with COVID-19 may experience symptoms anywhere from two to 14 days after infection.
- Nearly one in 10 people infected with COVID-19 currently suffer from long COVID, even months or years after having been infected.
- People who have COVID-19 and the flu at the same time may experience more severe symptoms than those who have either virus alone.
- COVID-19 is more deadly than the flu across most age groups and is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. However, the flu is still dangerous: Each year, up to roughly 50,000 people die from the flu.
- Older adults are at the highest risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 and the flu.
COVID-19 and the flu both spread through respiratory droplets, but COVID-19 is more contagious
- These droplets enter the air when infected people breathe, cough, sneeze, and talk.
- People with the flu are potentially contagious one day before they show symptoms and are typically most contagious during the first three days of symptoms.
- People with COVID-19 are potentially contagious two to three days before their symptoms begin and throughout the duration of their symptoms—typically about eight days.
- People can spread the flu and COVID-19 even if they don’t feel sick. One in three people infected with the flu and approximately one in five people infected with COVID-19 don’t show symptoms.
Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and getting this season’s flu vaccine can protect you and those around you.
- The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive a COVID-19 vaccine and a flu vaccine this season to reduce your risk of contracting and spreading the respiratory viruses and to reduce the likelihood of severe illness, complications, and death.
- Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines are approved for people 6 months and older, and Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine is approved for those 12 years and older.
- You can get this season’s flu vaccine and updated COVID-19 vaccine now. If you were recently infected by COVID-19, you can wait three months after your infection to get vaccinated. Get vaccinated against both viruses by Halloween so you can stay protected through the fall and winter.
- Find pharmacies near you at Vaccines.gov.
- Wearing a mask also protects you and those around you from respiratory viruses.
Last Updated:
October 10, 2024
How does immunity work?
We develop immunity—protection from infection—when our immune systems recognize a particular virus, bacteria, or fungus and destroy it.
- In utero, babies can acquire passive immunity to certain infections from antibodies (protective proteins) from their birthing parent through the placenta. After birth, babies can get antibodies from breast milk.
- We acquire active immunity when we’re exposed to germs, either by getting infected or by getting vaccinated, which teach our bodies how to fight off future infections.
- Passive immunity only lasts for a few weeks or months, while active immunity lasts longer.
Immunity helps you resist and fight diseases and protects you against becoming seriously ill, but it’s not perfect.
- If you’ve had an illness or you’ve been vaccinated against a particular disease, you could get infected again but still be protected from developing the worst, and sometimes deadly, symptoms. Immunity might wane faster if the pathogen causing the disease mutates quickly, like the viruses that cause COVID-19 and the flu. That’s why we need updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines to target newer variants.
- When more people get vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases, it’s better for everyone. Herd immunity occurs when enough people have immunity so that disease spread is dramatically reduced.
- For example, diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella are rare in the U.S. because we’ve achieved herd immunity.
- Recent outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases are due to a decline in vaccination rates, which puts herd immunity at risk.
Staying up to date on routine vaccines is an effective way to protect ourselves and build herd immunity.
- In addition to helping to prevent infection in babies, children, and adults, routine vaccines reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from dangerous diseases.
- All vaccines are rigorously tested before becoming available to the public to ensure safety.
- Getting vaccinated is a safer way to build immunity than getting infected with any disease.
- Learn more about routine vaccines for children and for adults from the CDC.