Protecting Yourself and Your Family From Flu, COVID-19, and RSV During Respiratory Illness Season

People are more likely to get respiratory illnesses in the winter than at any other time of the year. These respiratory illnesses include influenza, or the flu; COVID-19; respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV; and the common cold. It is very important to protect yourself from getting sick by doing the following:

Vaccines

At Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, we recommend getting vaccines that help prevent the flu and COVID-19. This is the best way to protect yourself and others from getting sick. Some children with certain medical conditions may also be able to get a shot that protects them from severe RSV.

• Flu and COVID-19: You can schedule your flu and COVID vaccine at our Stanford Medicine Children’s Health locations.
• RSV: Babies and young children with certain medical conditions may be able to get a treatment to help prevent severe RSV. Your care team will tell you if your child is eligible for this treatment.

More about respiratory illnesses

Influenza, or the flu

The best way to protect yourself against the flu is to get a flu vaccine every year. A flu vaccine lowers your chances of getting the flu and of having severe flu symptoms if you do get sick.

Children younger than 5 years old are more at risk of getting very sick from the flu. Because of this, it is very important that all children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years old get a flu vaccine every year.

Children younger than 6 months old cannot get the flu vaccine. The best way to protect them is to have everyone in your household get the flu vaccine. This helps prevent anyone in your household from getting the flu and giving it to your baby.

If your child gets the flu, he or she may be able to get antiviral medicine to treat it. Talk with your child’s care team for more information.

COVID-19

The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is to get every new vaccine booster when it is available to you. The COVID-19 vaccine and boosters protect you from getting COVID-19 and lower your chances of having severe symptoms if you do get it.

Because children younger than 6 months old cannot get the COVID-19 vaccine, the best way to protect your child is to have everyone in your household get the vaccine and boosters. This helps prevent them from getting COVID-19 and giving it to your baby.

If your child gets COVID-19, he or she may be able to get antiviral medicine to treat it. Talk with your child’s care team for more information.

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus

RSV can be dangerous for babies and young children, especially the following:

• Premature babies.
• Babies younger than 1 year old, especially those 6 months old and younger.
• Children younger than 2 years old with chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease.
• Children with a weakened immune system.
• Children who have a neuromuscular disorder, including those who have difficulty swallowing or clearing mucus.

There is no RSV vaccine for children, but some medicines can help protect babies and some young children from severe RSV. These medicines are called nirsevimab, also called Beyfortus™, and palivizumab, also called Synagis®. If you have questions about these medicines or about RSV, talk with your child’s care team.