• Online Scheduling | Careers

Commonwealth Health
  • Quick Links
    • Find a Doctor
    • Services
      • Services

        • View All Services
        • Bariatric Weight Loss Services
        • Behavioral Health
        • Cancer Care
        • Diagnostic Imaging
        • Digestive Health
        • Ear, Nose & Throat Care
        • Emergency Services
        • Endocrinology
        • Eye Care
        • Heart Care
        • Infectious Disease Care
        • Kidney Disorders
        • Laboratory Services
        • Maternity Care
        • Neurology
        • Nutrition Services
        • Orthopedic Services
        • Pain Management
        • Primary Care
        • Rehabilitation Services
        • Respiratory Care
        • Rheumatology
        • Robotic Surgery
        • Sleep Medicine
        • Surgical Services
        • Urology
        • Walk-In Clinic
        • Women's Health
        • Wound Care
          • Patients & Visitors
            • For Patients

              • Patients & Visitors
              • DAISY Award Nominations
              • Events
              • Financial Information
              • Health Library
              • Online Scheduling
              • Patient Portal
              • Physician Referral
              • Request Medical Records
                • Careers
                • Locations
                  • Hospitals
                  • Imaging Centers
                  • Laboratories
                  • Outpatient Rehabilitation Locations
                  • Sleep Care Centers
                  • Walk-In Clinics
                  • Wound Care Centers
                  • Ambulatory Surgery Centers
                  • Commonwealth Health Physician Network
                  • Emergency Departments
                • About
                  • About

                    • About Us
                    • Careers
                    • Community Benefits
                    • Contact Us
                    • Mission, Vision & Values
                    • NEPA Quality Health Alliance (CIN)
                    • Newsroom
                    • Quality & Safety
                    • Volunteer Opportunities
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Online Bill Pay
                      • Patient Portal
                      • Events
                      • Directions
                      • Contact
                      • analog clock icon
                      • Avg ER Wait Times

                        View ER Wait Times
                      Home/About Us/Newsroom/You May Need Two Shots, or Three, to Protect Your Health this Fall and Winter

                      Refine Results

                      Affiliated Hospitals





                      About Us
                      Careers
                      Benefits
                      Hospital Opportunities
                      Nursing Opportunities
                      Available Positions
                      I'm Interested
                      Physician & Provider Opportunities
                      Community Benefits
                      Contact Us
                      Mission, Vision & Values
                      NEPA Quality Health Alliance (CIN)
                      Newsroom
                      E-Newsletter Sign Up
                      Patient Testimonials
                      2024 News Releases
                      2023 News Releases
                      2022 News Releases
                      2021 News Releases
                      2020 News Releases
                      2019 News Releases
                      2018 News Releases
                      2017 News Releases
                      2016 News Releases
                      2015 News Releases
                      Quality & Safety
                      ADA Accessibility Policy
                      Diversity Policy
                      Joint Commission Notice
                      Notice of Privacy Practices
                      Organized Health Care Arrangement Status
                      Patient Rights & Responsibilities
                      Privacy Policy
                      Safe Haven for Pennsylvania Newborns
                      Safety Improvement
                      Terms & Conditions
                      Volunteer Opportunities
                      eNewsletter Redirect
                      Events
                      Events
                      Find a Doctor
                      Locations
                      Notice of Non-Discrimination
                      Patients & Visitors
                      Services
                      • information
                      • news
                      • Avg ER Wait Times

                        View ER Wait Times
                      • Directions

                        Find Our Location
                      • Commonwealth Health Physician Network Welcomes Orthopedic Surgeon to Dunmore

                        05.05.2025

                      • Wilkes-Barre General Hospital Honors Physicians with Donation to Sleep In Heavenly Peace in Recognition of National Doctors’ Day

                        03.28.2025

                      • See All News & Press Releases
                      • Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Featuring a monthly dose of information and inspiration for living well.

                        Learn More
                      • Mobile Device

                        Online Scheduling

                        Free, convenient online check-in services.

                        Learn More
                      • Nurse and Patient

                        Patient Portal

                        Access your medical information
                        on demand.

                        Learn More

                      You May Need Two Shots, or Three, to Protect Your Health this Fall and Winter

                      10/25/2023

                      Flu, COVID-19 and RSV viruses will be circulating

                      To protect yourself and those you love when respiratory viruses are circulating this fall and winter, getting vaccinated against both the flu and COVID-19 will be important. Individuals who are age 60 or older may also need to get vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

                      These three viral, respiratory illnesses are active this year and hospital admissions for COVID are already starting to increase around the country. Here in Northeastern, PA, Commonwealth Health has already begun seeing more people who need inpatient care for their COVID-19 symptoms.

                      Commonwealth Health is encouraging community members to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation that everyone 6 months or older get both flu and updated COVID shots this year to bolster immune defenses as the weather turns colder.

                      Shamsedeen“Vaccinations stimulate the body’s immune system to minimize your chances of developing severe illness that requires hospitalization,” said Ahamed Shamsedeen, M.D., a family medicine physician with Commonwealth Health Physician Network. “In addition to helping ourselves, immunization can also slow the spread of viruses to the more vulnerable members of our community.”

                      Those at the highest risk of serious illness from flu or COVID include babies and toddlers, the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions, including asthma, diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

                      People ages 60 years and older should talk to their healthcare provider about whether RSV vaccination is right for them as well. Older adults, adults with chronic heart or lung disease, with weakened immune systems or living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities are at the highest risk for RSV illness.

                      Dr. Shamsedeen continues, “Anyone can get sick from a respiratory virus but vaccination and preventive actions such as avoiding close contact with people who are sick, covering your coughs and sneezes and frequent hand-washing with soap and water are the best steps you can take to minimize your risk.”

                      As for when to get your shots, those who are in a high risk group or who have not had COVID in the last two months can get vaccinated right away. If you plan to travel for the holidays, you might push your vaccination out to late October or early November to maximize the period in which the induced protection is still high.

                      If you need to find a primary care provider, visit cwhphysiciannetwork.net.

                      Back

                      Affiliated Hospitals

                      • Regional Hospital of Scranton
                      • Wilkes-Barre General Hospital
                      • Moses Taylor Hospital
                      • ADA Accessibility Policy
                      • Terms & Conditions
                      • Privacy Policy
                      • Change Your Privacy Choices
                      • Notice of Privacy Practices
                      • Patient Rights & Responsibilities
                      • Price Transparency

                      Copyright ©2025. All rights reserved.

                      An AllianceHealth Oklahoma® hospital

                      Services

                      • Bariatric Weight Loss Services
                      • Behavioral Health
                      • Cancer Care
                      • Diagnostic Imaging
                      • Digestive Health
                      • Ear, Nose & Throat Care
                      • Emergency Services
                      • Endocrinology
                      • Eye Care
                      • Heart Care
                      • Infectious Disease Care
                      • Kidney Disorders
                      • Laboratory Services
                      • Maternity Care
                      • Neurology
                      • Nutrition Services
                      • Orthopedic Services
                      • Pain Management
                      • Primary Care
                      • Rehabilitation Services
                      • Respiratory Care
                      • Rheumatology
                      • Robotic Surgery
                      • Sleep Medicine
                      • Surgical Services
                      • Urology
                      • Walk-In Clinic
                      • Women's Health
                      • Wound Care

                      Patients & Visitors

                      • DAISY Award Nominations
                      • Events
                      • Financial Information
                      • Health Library
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Patient Portal
                      • Physician Referral
                      • Request Medical Records

                      About Us

                      • Careers
                      • Community Benefits
                      • Contact Us
                      • Mission, Vision & Values
                      • NEPA Quality Health Alliance (CIN)
                      • Newsroom
                      • Quality & Safety
                      • Volunteer Opportunities

                      Notice of Nondiscrimination
                      • English,
                      • አማርኛ,
                      • العربية,
                      • বাংলা,
                      • ျမန္မာဘာသာ,
                      • tsalagi gawonihisdi,
                      • 繁體中文,
                      • Chahta,
                      • Oroomiffa,
                      • Nederlands,
                      • Français,
                      • Kreyòl Ayisyen,
                      • Deutsch,
                      • ગુજરાતી,
                      • हिंदी,
                      • Hmoob,
                      • Igbo asusu,
                      • Ilokano,
                      • Italiano,
                      • 日本語,
                      • 한국어,
                      • Ɓàsɔ́ɔ̀‑wùɖù‑po‑nyɔ̀,
                      • ພາສາລາວ,
                      • Kajin Ṃajōḷ,
                      • ខ្មែរ,
                      • Diné Bizaad,
                      • नेपाली,
                      • Deitsch,
                      • فارسی,
                      • Polski,
                      • Português,
                      • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
                      • Română,
                      • Русский,
                      • Gagana fa'a Sāmoa,
                      • Srpsko‑hrvatski,
                      • Español,
                      • ܣܘܼܪܸܬ݂,
                      • Tagalog,
                      • ภาษาไทย,
                      • Türkçe,
                      • Українська,
                      • اُردُو,
                      • Tiếng Việt,
                      • èdè Yorùbá,
                      • עִברִית
                      Loading... Loading...