COVID-19, RSV & Flu: Staying Safe This Respiratory Illness Season

Cynthia Snider, MD, shares what you should know about COVID-19, flu and RSV in this 2 Your Well-Being discussion with WFMY News 2.

What should I know about the updated COVID-19 vaccine?

“The FDA finally approved the new mRNA vaccine. It has been formulated for the latest strains of COVID. It's a monovalent vaccine that targets that XBB / Omicron variant. It sounds very strange, but it's really believed to provide broad coverage and still provide really good immunity for the other circulating strains that we have now.

“It's available for anybody that's six months or older, and it also has been streamlined – if somebody's never had the vaccine, even the previous vaccines, they only need actually just one dose.”

COVID-19 numbers are rising again. Why is that?

“It’s not unusual to see some increases in the late summer. We've had that happen in previous years, especially coming off of Labor Day. A lot of people may have been with family members or their friends. And then it comes in play with some kids being back in school. So there is a lot of opportunity for people to get exposed. I think that's what we're seeing with the increasing numbers that we have in the community.”

Should I think about wearing a mask now?

“I think we will probably promote masking once respiratory illness season starts. I think at this time, if somebody is not immune or hasn't had the recent vaccine and who is immunocompromised – those may be reasons to wear a mask, especially if you're going into a crowded setting.”

Are masks required or in hospitals or health care offices?

“Right now, we are not requiring masking. However, that might change in the coming weeks depending on the respiratory virus season starting.”

“I think right now, the recommendation is that if anybody has been exposed to COVID, you should wear a mask until you finish out your testing. And also anybody that obviously has had COVID, who has finished those five days of isolation and is going back to work, you still need to wear masks to finish out that ten days of isolation.”

“I wouldn't be surprised if classrooms or clinics have increasing cases in their office space or in the classroom, they may be asking everybody to mask for a period of time until that incubation period is finished.”

What should I do if I am sick with COVID-19?

“If somebody has COVID, we really need you to stay home for those first five days. Then those subsequent five days, when you're returning back to your workspace and such, you need to be wearing a mask. Especially if you are having to go out in the early phases – it makes sense to definitely be wearing a well fitted N95 mask.” 

Learn more by watching the full video interview above.