As the fall season arrives, between the leaves changing color and the football games, there is an unwelcome guest that lingers in our community: COVID-19. Although infection rates remain relatively low in Chicago, the rate of hospitalizations for COVID-19 surpasses that of hospitalizations for influenza or RSV, and viral activity in wastewater being monitored across the state confirms that COVID-19 cases may be increasing.
The CDC recommends getting an updated COVID-19 vaccine by 2024-2025 to protect against potentially becoming seriously ill from new variants of the virus, noting that the protection provided by vaccines decreases over time. The vaccines available in Chicago pharmacies have been formulated to protect against the JN.1 strain and its derived variants.
This season, I encourage all members of our Hispanic-Latino community to get vaccinated against influenza, RSV and COVID-19, and to consult with their medical providers about their options. In Chicago, each person can choose between an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer or Moderna, or a protein subunit, non-mRNA, COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax. The protein subunit option has been developed with the same technology used in some RSV and influenza vaccines.
Regardless of which COVID-19 vaccine you choose, getting vaccinated remains the best defense against severe illness and hospitalization for you and your loved ones.
Esther E. Sciammarella, M.S., is the Executive Director of the Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization she helped establish in 1991 as a multi-disciplinary membership organization. Its mission is to promote healthy behavior and prevent chronic disease in the Hispanic community.
