With the on-set of fall, and the season for respiratory illness, medical professionals are recommending the flu, COVID and RSV vaccines.
A kickoff event was held at Bismarck-Burleigh Pubic Health.
"The flu vaccine is tri-valent," said Dr. Laura Archuleta, family medicine physician at CHI St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck. "It covers three of what we anticipate to be the most common strains this year."
Archuleta said it is recommended for anyone six months of age or older.
"For our older adults, we also have a high-dose influenza vaccine," Archuleta said. "It has been shown to be better for the most vulnerable."
Archuleta said getting the vaccine will decrease your risk of flu-related doctor visits and hospital stays by up to 60 percent.
Dr. Danielle Thurtle of Sanford Children's Hospital focused on RSV and COVID.
"RSV is a very common cause of colds in newborns," Thurtle said. "And the burden of disease is very high during October through March. Nearly all children are exposed to RSV before the age of two, and you can get infected over and over again. It is the most common cause for hospitalization for infants in the United States, and it has caused hundreds of deaths."
Thurtle said there are safe and effective options recommended to protect infants and young children from RSV.
Thurtle also said COVID-19 continues to infect children, with some experiencing mild disease, while others have to be hospitalized.
"Unfortunately, 95 percent of children hospitalized for COVID are unvaccinated," Thurtle said. "The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all children six to 23 months of age be vaccinated, and all children between six months and 18 years old are moderately or severely immuno-compromised should receive two or more doses."