Harnessing Your Health: What you need to know about COVID-19, flu, and RSV for the fall and winter

There’s about 270 different viruses that can infect humans, and in the fall and winter we're inside more where they can spread more easily. But if you’re prepared, there’s no need to stress.

We’ve done the research on how you can do that, so you can focus on harnessing your health.

We’ll stick to the three most common viruses family doctors and pediatricians see in their office this time of year:

· COVID-19
· Flu
· Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Let’s start with what a virus is.

Viruses are tiny, microscopic germs that have a small piece of genetic information inside of a protective shell. This can be RNA or DNA. Viruses need to make copies of themselves in order to survive, as well as a host to make those copies.

We can come into contact with viruses in a lot of different ways; from touching a surface to breathing in droplets after someone who is sick sneezes or coughs. It could even be as simple as a virus getting on your hand and then you touch your face. That’s why washing your hands is so important.

Some people who get infected can feel fine and others can get sick and show signs and symptoms. Some people may get sick repeatedly and worry about their immune system. Dr. Anu Sheshadri with UCLA Health hears concerns like this from her patients a lot this time of year.

“I do see a lot of patients that come in here and they’re like ‘Dr. Anu I need my immune system checked out because I’ve gotten sick left, right, and center this year.’ But you’re getting over it and your immune system is strong enough to actually fight the virus and then you’re getting exposed to a new one,” Dr. Sheshadri explained.

As we know, getting vaccinated can also boost your immune system. The CDC is encouraging everyone to look into the COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines this year. Doctors we spoke with feel the same.

“The percentage of people not taking advantage of the covid shots is increasing,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong who treats infectious diseases at UCSF Health.

“I think most of us were surprised and even personally shocked that last year, only about 40% of those over 65 got the shot period, and 22% of Americans overall. I think this year, I'm hoping that more people get it.”

Updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines are out now. They're meant to target more recent strains of the viruses.

“So, this formula was decided months ago and it was based on the flu variants that were circulating even earlier in the summer and they've continued to circulate,” said Dr. Chin-Hong.

“We'll actually be able to offer both their flu and covid vaccine at the same time,” said Dr. Steven Furr, the president of American Academy of Family Physicians .

Timing is a big thing if you want to maximize your immunity come the holidays. If you recently got sick with COVID-19, you could then use the vaccine to prolong your immunity.

“So, if you recently had covid, I'd encourage you to wait until about three months after that. And the same thing, if you had a recent vaccine, I would generally wait at least three months before you do the new vaccine,” said Dr. Furr.

That’s because you may still have antibodies protecting you from COVID-19. But the CDC says there is no harm in getting a shot earlier.

For RSV, there’s three vaccine options-- Pfizer, GSK, and Moderna. All three shots are made with the same mRNA technology, similar to Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 shots.

“M” stands for messenger. mRNA has its own genetic information just like viruses, so when someone gets a shot their immune system begins prepping. Then it’s locked and loaded when it becomes infected with the real virus.

There’s also a COVID-19 shot from Novavax for people who can’t do mRNA.

So who should get vaccinated?

The CDC recommends flu and COVID-19 shots for anyone 6 months and older with some rare exceptions, like if a person has an allergy to an ingredient in the vaccine.

RSV mainly impacts the ends of the age spectrum, like infants and older adults. So the shot is recommended for pregnant women so they can pass on immunity to their baby, and people 75 years old and up. Adults 60 to 74 should also get vaccinated against RSV if they carry extra health issues, like heart disease.

If you do get sick, all three viruses have similar signs and symptoms, like fever, coughing, congestion, and chills. To know which one you have for sure, doctors recommend getting tested. Some practices are able to test for all three at once. The government will also mail you free COVID-19 tests.

If you start getting a severe case of flu, RSV, or COVID-19, that can show up as difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, or dizziness. In those cases doctors recommend getting medical care ASAP .

If you have a mild case, doctors recommend over-the-counter medication, sleep, and plenty of fluids.