As we prepare for the big social events of the holiday season, now is the time to consider getting vaccinated to boost your immunity.

“I usually tell people to get the vaccine as soon as they have access to it,” said Dr. Briton Woods, a family medicine physician at the hospital. IntermountainCreekside Clinic in Kaysville.

Dr. Woods said when it comes to vaccines, caring for a patient also means caring for their family.

“We all have people in our lives who may be a little more susceptible to serious infection from the flu, COVID-19 or RSV. You know, we might feel like we might get through one of these infections, and that might be the case. But you probably know someone else in our lives, maybe a grandparent, or, you know, a friend or family member who has a certain health condition that may be weakening their heart or his lungs. These people can become seriously ill,” Woods said.

You may have a strategy for getting a COVID booster and a flu shot at different times. This can be nice, but Dr. Woods says it’s not necessary.

“It is perfectly safe to get your flu shot and your COVID-19 booster shot during the same visit. And I don’t see any real reason why it would be dangerous to also get an RSV vaccine,” Woods said.

Unlike the other two, RSV vaccines are recommended for a smaller group at higher risk of severe disease.

“All adults aged 75 and older should consider getting vaccinated, and adults aged 60 to 74 who have certain high-risk conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease and a few others, would be at risk. at an increased risk of developing more diseases.” seriously ill should also consider getting vaccinated,” Woods said.

Besides vaccinations, doctors also recommend maintaining good hygiene habits such as regular hand washing and sanitizing.

Click here for more information on Intermountain flu clinics. You can also visit germwatch.com to find out what’s happening in your area.