State health officials are calling on residents to get vaccinated as winter intensifies and respiratory viruses are on the rise.
Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff held a briefing Dec. 18 to announce that COVID-19, flu, respiratory syncytial virus and other respiratory illnesses are on the rise. He also gave a caveat that the infection rates were not out of the ordinary for this time of year.
Vanderhoff added to best protect themselves from these illnesses, residents should get both the latest COVID-19 vaccine and their flu shot. However, not nearly enough people have done so, he said. For example, only 29% of Ohio residents 65 and over and 9% of all residents have received the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
While COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are down compared to last year, the virus remains a real threat, Vanderhoff said.
"Let’s not forget that this virus is still causing several dozen deaths every week in Ohio,” he said.
Vanderhoff said getting the latest COVID-19 vaccine also may reduce the risk of contracting "long COVID" in which symptoms can last for months or years, by 69%, citing a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases in Ohio saw an 11% increase over the past three weeks, according to ODH data published Dec. 14.
Last year, RSV cases spiked in Ohio from October to December, with the peak occurring in mid- to late November, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
RSV typically causes cold-like symptoms and most people recover in a week or two, according to the CDC, but the virus can be dangerous for infants and the elderly.
About 600,000 children in the U.S. end up at the doctor's office or in the hospital for RSV every year, Dr. Claudia Hoyen, director of pediatric infection control at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, previously told Ideastream. She also said widespread use of RSV vaccines could alleviate the burden on the health care system during the winter illness period, adding that 2022's "tripledemic" strained the system with an influx of COVID-19, RSV and flu cases.
Health officials urged residents to consider RSV vaccines earlier this year amid an influx of new options, such as Beyfortus to protect infants and Abrysvo to protect pregnant women. The Food and Drug Administration also approved Arexvy for patients 60 years old and up in May.
Vanderhoff said it is not too late for people to protect themselves.
"The good news is that while cases are on the rise, there is still time to get vaccinated," Vanderhoff said. "And I'd encourage anyone still on the fence to get out today and get a shot."
Lynna Metrisin, a retiree from Lakewood, agreed, adding older patients have nothing to fear from these vaccines as she did not have any severe side effects from her COVID-19 and RSV vaccines or her flu shot.
"Other than a slightly sore arm, there was really no problem at all," she said.
Metrisin added not only was it easy to get vaccinated by setting an online appointment at CVS Pharmacy, but she also paid no out-of-pocket costs because the vaccines are covered by Medicare.
She said getting vaccinated is not just about her health, but also about the people around her.
Metrisin said she and her husband dress up as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus for local children, so getting vaccinated was also about protecting them. The same goes for family members who are in poor health, she said.
"I have an aunt who's in a facility that we visit," she said. "I don't want to take sickness to her. You know, if we're around vulnerable people, people who we know have impaired immune systems because of cancer treatment or other things that can impair your immune system, even if you don't care about getting sick, we should care about other people."
