October in Alabama is football, fairs, and family—and the start of respiratory season. In my practice, I see the same pattern every year: a trickle of coughs and fevers becomes a wave by late fall, and too many Alabamians end up in emergency rooms for illnesses we can often prevent or blunt. My message is simple and urgent: talk with your doctor now about a personal plan to get through flu, COVID-19, and RSV season safely.

Prevention isn’t about fear; it’s about stewardship—of your health, your family, and our hospitals. A short visit with your physician can sort out which vaccines are right for you, the timing that makes the most sense, and what to do if you get sick anyway. That plan may include an annual flu shot, an updated COVID-19 vaccine, and—depending on your age and medical histo

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