SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 8:00 AM
New vaccines this fall are helping us avoid last year’s “tripledemic,” a dangerous combination of COVID, the flu and RSV. This is the first fall with an RSV vaccine, recommended for older adults and a select few with other health complications. Plus, a new-and-improved COVID vaccine is expected by this weekend, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced.
You can start making appointments for your updated shot. CVS Pharmacy already has doses in stock, while you can make appointments at Walgreens as early as Monday. And you can tack on a flu shot while you’re at it, double-vaxxing to prevent serious cases of these illnesses.
While we’re talking about vaccines, we should highlight important vaccinations against shingles, a common viral infection in older adults (though you can get it at any age). The shingles vaccine is the only way to protect against shingles and postherpetic neuralgia (or PHN), the infection’s most common complication.
Here’s what to know about shingles, PHN and protecting yourself against both by getting vaccinated. WHAT ARE SHINGLES? Shingles are a viral infection in the skin’s nerves that cause pain, tingling or burning, along with itchy rashes or blisters. The rash or blisters usually last from three to 10 days, then they fade. They usually appear on only one side of your body, commonly around the waist or rib cage. The rash is associated with nerve inflammation beneath the skin. You can also get a fever, upset stomach, headache and chills.