STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Now that the winter holiday season is upon us, gatherings and crowds are unavoidable — bringing with them increased risk of contracting the flu or the coronavirus (COVID-19).

With miserable symptoms, including fever, chills, congestion, shortness of breath, cough and sore throat, they both also bring serious — potentially deadly — risks in the very young, seniors, and those with compromised immunity.

So, if you truly want to gift others this holiday season, vaccination is the way to do it, according to doctors.

Both internal medicine experts and health-governing agencies urge vaccination and hand washing to prevent infections of both COVID-19 and flu viruses.

High-risk groups, including older adults, pregnant people and those with chronic conditions, are especially encouraged to get vaccinated.

And getting both shots in one trip to the pharmacy or doctor’s office is convenient and safe, Dr. Alexander Beylinson, director of internal medicine at Richmond Health Network, the network of outpatient clinics operated by Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton, told the Advance/SILive.com recently.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends that all people ages 6 months and older get both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines this season.

And, according to the CDC, co-administration of the vaccines is generally safe, though studies show that people who got both shots at the same time are slightly more likely to experience mild side effects, including fatigue, headaches and muscle aches.

Those with a history of severe allergic reactions or who are undergoing cancer therapy or other treatments are urged to contact their health-care provider before being vaccinated.

There is no recommended waiting period between the two vaccines, but they should be given in different injection sites, at least one-inch apart, according to the CDC.

This fall, the New York City Health Department kicked off a promotional campaign, urging city residents to get both vaccines.

“During fall and winter, New Yorkers are susceptible to more viruses than the flu,” said Interim Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. “The flu vaccine has protected the lives of New Yorkers for decades. But to keep yourself and your family safe, and save time, pair it with an updated life-saving COVID-19 vaccine.”

The CDC predicted flu numbers in 2025-2026 to be similar to what we experienced in the 2024-2025 season. Last year, the agency reported 43 million illnesses, 560,000 hospitalizations and 38,000 deaths across the country, with the season being categorized as “high severity.”

The New York State Department of Health conducts seasonal flu surveillance from October through May and provides weekly updates on the number of cases reported across the state.

The most recent data shows that there were 234 confirmed flu cases on Staten Island for the week ending Nov. 22, which is nearly triple the 79 local cases reported the week prior.

NYC sees between 1,500 and 2,000 deaths annually due to the flu and pneumonia combined, according to the city Health Department.

Last year, three pediatric deaths were reported, the city agency said. And over 22,000 lab-confirmed cases were reported by early February 2025.

And those who fear vaccinations, thinking the flu vaccine can cause the flu have nothing to fear, said Dr. Thomas Gut, associate chairman of medicine at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital.

COVID-19

After May 2023, case reporting in the United States became voluntary, and widespread at-home testing left many infections uncounted.

Since then, both the CDC and New York City Health Department now focus on hospitalizations, wastewater surveillance, and emergency department trends rather than raw case counts to analyze case numbers and risk to the public.

And the CDC provides cumulative burden estimates — the estimated total number of people within a specified timeframe who were sick, visited a health-care provider outside the hospital, were admitted to the hospital, or died.

From October 2024 through September 2025, the CDC burden estimates showed 13.8 million to 20.3 million COVID-19 cases, with up to 540,000 leading to hospitalization, and up to 63 million COVID-related deaths.

Trivalent flu vaccines

Currently flu vaccines are readily available and are trivalent, meaning they protect against the three main groups of influenza viruses predicted to be circulating this season: Influenza A (H1N1), Influenza A (H3N2), and Influenza B., according to the CDC.

They are available from your primary care physician, or from pharmacies, clinics, and community health centers. They are covered by Medicaid and most insurance plans.

Beylinson said he convinces people to get the flu vaccine by reminding them of the serious difference between the flu and a common cold.

The vaccines are a person’s best weapon against what will likely be a week to 10 days in bed with fever, chills, respiratory infections, sore throat and body aches, according to medical experts. The flu can possibly lead to hospitalization or even death, they warned.