Fall Vaccines: Two Fun Facts
As fall approaches, it’s a good time to update you and your family's Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. As you know, vaccination is one practical way we can care for ourselves and help protect those who are more vulnerable in our families and community. However here are a couple fun stats to consider too!
COVID-19: Vaccination may help prevent Long COVID.
A 2025 Nature Communications meta-analysis found that people who had received a COVID-19 vaccine had about 23% lower odds of developing Long COVID symptoms, with an even greater reduction among those who had received a booster. This finding increases the importance of seasonal booster doses for the newest SARS-CoV2 variants.
Flu: It may protect your heart, too!
Influenza infection is associated with about a 6-fold increase in the risk of a heart attack during the week following infection. Interestingly, in the IAMI randomized trial of 2,571 patients who had recently experienced a heart attack, those who received a flu vaccine had 41% lower risk of death from any cause and also a 41% lower cardiovascular mortality over the following year compared with placebo.
So this fall, remember a few of these other reasons to consider the vaccines. Talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist about which vaccines are recommended for you this fall.