Sonoma County infectious disease experts recommend vaccinations ahead of holidays

With the Christmas and New Year’s holidays just weeks away, infectious disease experts say there’s still time to get vaccine protection against the triple threat of influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

Experts say it usually takes up to two weeks for the vaccines to be effective, so time is running out.

This year, the formulation of all three vaccines is “very effective,” said Dr. Gary Green, an infectious disease expert with Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital.

“What I tell patients every year — the biggest way to save your life from influenza, the most meaningful thing you can do is get vaccinated,” Green said. “ We save more lives with vaccination than we do with treatment.”

Green said flu season, which is starting a little late this year and usually trails RSV surges, is trending up. Last week, positive test swabs for influenza at local Sutter facilities was about 5%; they’re now 8%, he said.

In contrast, test positivity for RSV is 35%, mostly among adults over 60 and children under six, Green said.

"RSV is kind of peaking — we hope it's peaking,“ he said. ”We might be on the early side of the peak. It may still get worse over the next few weeks.“

As for COVID-19, Green said infections have persisted through the fall and are now beginning to increase. There’s been no lull, he added.

“In the summer we were undulating between 10 to 20% for COVID. Now we’re 20 to 25%,” Green said.

Last week, Sonoma County public health officials issued a joint press statement with other Bay Area officials, warning of increasing levels of respiratory virus and advising residents to take preventive steps ahead of the holidays.

These include: getting vaccinated; getting tested if sick; staying home if sick; seeking treatment at onset of symptoms to help prevent hospitalization; and wearing a mask in indoor, public places.

Dr. Jessica August, an infectious disease specialist at Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center, said now is the time to get vaccinated.

“Two weeks is when we hit that mark of full immunity from a vaccine, so get it now,” August said.

August said it’s safe to get all three vaccines at once for those who are eligible.

“You may experience some flu-like symptoms for 12 to 36 hours, but it'll be far better than if you have the disease itself,” August said. “There is more and more data showing both the safety and the efficacy of getting vaccines together, namely those three vaccines.”

August said that although COVID-19 is far less deadly than it was during the height of the pandemic, the virus continues to be a threat to vulnerable populations, including the elderly, those with compromised immune systems and people with severe chronic illnesses.

Preventing the spread of these viruses can protect those who are still at risk, including those who are not vaccinated, she said.

“With these (holiday) gatherings coming up, it sounds so simple to say if you're not feeling well, don't go, but people don't do it,” August said. “People say, ‘Oh, it's just a little cold. It's no big deal. I can still go to my gathering.”

August said staying home when sick can be the difference between a joyful gathering and a “superspreader.”

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @pressreno.