Vaccines especially important for seniors, UVA doctor says

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - A UVA doctor is encouraging seniors to get RSV, COVID-19, and flu vaccines.

Seniors are generally more vulnerable to these sicknesses and contracting them could lead to a lengthy hospital stay or worse.

Doctor Laurie Archbald-Pannone, a UVA geriatrician and professor, says the symptoms of these diseases are similar so everyone should be aware of how they spread and if they’ve been in contact with an infected person.

“As we get older, our immune system changes, and the vaccines give us a little bit of a boost to help us prevent getting severe infections,” Dr. Archbald-Pannone said. “The vaccines take a few weeks to become fully effective.”

She also adds that getting all three vaccines at once is safe.

Do you have a story idea? Send us your news tip here.