Doctors: Getting flu shot, COVID-19 vaccine will help overburdened hospitals

Kids under five, older adults and people with underlying medical conditions are most at risk to be severely impacting by the flu, RSV and COVID-19.

Rose Shannon

Oct 8, 2023, 2:07 PM

Updated 428 days ago

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Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Medical Association are reminding people that three main respiratory viruses currently circulating can led to serious complications for some people.
Kids under five, older adults and people with underlying medical conditions are most at risk to be severely impacting by the flu, RSV and COVID-19.
A new study from the CDC shows that older adults hospitalized with RSV tend to have at least one underlying health issue and tend to need help breathing in the ICU.
Doctors are encouraging people to schedule their flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.
"Because there's a risk of hospitalization, risk of death. But not only that though, if people are in the hospitals because of RSV, COVID-19 or the flu, that means that others who have urgent illnesses will find themselves not having access to medical care because the system has been overburdened," says Dr. Willie Underwood from the American Medical Association.
There is also a vaccine for RSV but it only available to people 60 and older.
Appointment times for vaccines are open as early as this week.