North Dakota Health and Human Services reports cases of influenza and RSV are beginning to tick upwards in the state.
Director of Disease Control Molly Howell says participation rates for RSV vaccines has been strong. She says roughly 30 percent of pregnant women are choosing to vaccinate for RSV to pass protection onto their newborns, and parents have been choosing the monoclonal antibody immunizations for their infants at about a 60 percent rate. But she says pediatric rates for influenza and covid-19 are down from this same time period last year.
"For children six months to four years of age, we're currently at about 17 percent vaccination rate. Last year, we were at 33 percent for that same age group."
Howell says for the 65 and older age group, vaccination rates have remained steady.
She says vaccines for flu, covid and RSV are widely available at pharmacies, public health units and health care providers. She says those interested should speak with their physicians about their options.
She says one additional option is available for flu mist – or, nasal spray – this year.
"They now have a program where you can order it to be shipped directly to your home, so you can order flu mist online and you can self-administer it, or administer it to your children. That would be for people between the ages of 2 and 49. So that might be convenient for people who maybe just haven't had a chance to get to the clinic or the pharmacy."
Howell says those eligible can go online to flumist.com. The orders are shipped directly from an online pharmacy.