LAX Leader

Dear Valued Patient –

The holidays are upon us, and along with them, gatherings of friends and family.

While we all enjoy time spent with loved ones, group events put people at greater risk of being infected with COVID-19.

In Los Angeles, the most prevalent strain continues to be the omicron variant, with new omicron subvariants, such as BQ1, on the rise.

If you have not done so already and are eligible, we urge you to get the bivalent booster, which offers protection against omicron variants as well as previous strains of the virus.

The bivalent booster is also a defense against long COVID; new research is showing that the more times a person becomes infected with COVID-19, the more likely they are to have long-term symptoms.

You can walk in or make an appointment for the bivalent booster at one of our USC Pharmacy locations.  You can also get the vaccination at your local pharmacy.

Additionally, our community is seeing a high level of influenza and other respiratory viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which, when combined with COVID-19 cases, is leading to increased hospitalizations. Please make sure you and your family get the flu vaccine, also available through our USC Pharmacy.

It is safe to get the bivalent booster and the flu vaccine at the same time.

As we move into the holidays, we also want to remind you to continue to take precautions to stay safe from COVID-19 or other respiratory viruses. If possible, keep gatherings outside. When hosting or attending indoor events, we recommend taking a COVID-19 test beforehand, wearing a mask at the event and attempting to stay in well-ventilated areas.

You can find more tips to stay healthy during the holidays on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health website.

Thank you for continuing to entrust Keck Medicine with your care.

Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones.

Original source can be found here