San Luis Obispo County Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said it’s time to get vaccinated.
“Three recommended vaccines for the respiratory season: Flu vaccine, RSV vaccine for certain populations, and then the COVID vaccine,” she said.
Borenstein said the new COVID vaccine targets variants of the virus that are circulating now.
“The COVID vaccine is recommended for everyone over 6 months of age who hasn’t had a dose in two months,” she said.
Borenstein said it’s okay to get more than one vaccine on the same visit to the pharmacy or clinic.
“If you can, it’s more convenient to get them all at the same time, there’s no safety concern about doing that. If people want to separate them, they can do that as well,” she said.
Some pharmacies are running low on COVID vaccines, but Borenstein expects the supply to increase in the next week, making all of the vaccines readily available this month. She said to get the shots as soon as you can.
“The respiratory season, especially for flu, is considered to begin November 1st because we don’t know when it will become a more common infection in our community,” she said.
In the winter months, respiratory illnesses increase. In addition to the flu, she said it’s important to remember that COVID is still a major health concern and the third leading cause of death in our country.
The most common side effect from the shots, Borenstein said, is soreness at the injection site, though some people might experience body aches or slight fever, too.
For more information about vaccines, check the SLO County website.
