Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is encouraging the public to educate themselves on respiratory illnesses through a new edition of its "This is Public Health" podcast. The episode features discussions by the state's chief medical officer and state epidemiologist on the upcoming respiratory virus season, vaccine efficacy, and preventive measures.

“As summer comes to an end, there is no better time than now to start preparing for the upcoming fall/winter respiratory viral season,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “RSV, COVID-19, and flu are all expected to increase, and Illinoisans should begin using all the available tools, including vaccines, to prevent illness for themselves and their loved ones. IDPH is already closely monitoring the situation and making educational resources available to our residents, including easy-to-listen-to podcasts. Listen to our brand new respiratory-virus-themed episode of IDPH’s ‘This is Public Health’ podcast featuring our Chief Medical Officer and State Epidemiologist.”

The release of this episode coincides with data from IDPH's Seasonal Respiratory Illness Dashboard showing a slight decrease in hospital admissions for COVID-19 at 2.4% of admissions. Overall respiratory illness levels in Illinois are currently listed as minimal by the CDC.

New vaccines for COVID-19, flu, and RSV have been approved by the FDA and CDC for this fall. The new COVID-19 vaccines and flu shots are recommended for everyone over six months old. The RSV vaccine is recommended for individuals 75 years and older; however, those who received an RSV shot last winter do not need another dose at this time according to CDC guidance. Pregnant women in late stages are advised to get the RSV immunization designed to protect newborns.

On the new podcast episode, IDPH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Arti Barnes addresses concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety: “There is always a small risk of potential side effects from vaccines, but for the most part these vaccines are extremely safe,” she said. “The risk of NOT getting vaccinated is so much higher that there really is no comparison. Vaccination not just prevents serious illness from Covid; it protects you from long Covid symptoms too.”

State epidemiologist Graham Briggs emphasizes that vaccination also protects family members who might be vulnerable: “One thing we want to encourage people to be thinking about is not just getting vaccinated to protect themselves but vaccinating to protect loved ones,” Briggs said. “If you have elderly people at home or immune-compromised people at home or young infants around – that is something to keep in mind to help protect those people around you.”

IDPH officials also stress staying home when sick as one of the best ways to reduce virus transmission: “Stay home from work and try to minimize your exposure to other people as long as you have a fever until you are feeling better and fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications before you start acclimating back into normal life,” Briggs added.

The new vaccines are widely available at pharmacies, hospitals, and community health clinics. Major pharmacy chains offer online appointment scheduling for vaccinations. For assistance finding a nearby vaccine provider, visit www.vaccines.gov.

The "This is Public Health" podcast generally releases new episodes twice a month. Recent topics include "Substance Use and Overdose Awareness" and "Protecting Our Future: The Power of Childhood Immunizations."