Tis the season for respiratory illnesses. Dr. Kate Lichtenberg chairs the Board for the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians. She said that the holidays are filled with celebrations, gatherings, and catching the flu and COVID-19.

"Hopefully, you know, if someone is sick, if you're not feeling well, you probably shouldn't be out around other people," she said during an appearance on Show Me Today. "So, take that into consideration, too. I know it's the time of year where everybody wants to be with family, but don't give them the holiday gift of an illness or even hospitalization."

She recommended getting the flu and COVID-19 vaccine, especially for those at higher risk. But that doesn't mean you will avoid the coughs and sniffles.

"The flu vaccine changes every single year," Lichtenberg said. "To best protect yourself, you need to get that immunization updated every year. Sometimes we don't guess on the proper strain, but that doesn't mean you're left without any protection. You could still get the flu, but it's unlikely it would be as severe."

The flu and COVID-19 viruses tend to spike during the fall and winter when the air is cold and dry, and when people spend more time indoors with the windows closed. That's why if you are in the high-risk category, she said you need to get vaccinated.

"Right now, there is a newer vaccine out," she explained. "For those that are over 65 or have some health conditions that might lower their immune system's ability to work, it's recommended that those folks actually get a booster of the COVID six months after their first vaccine of this new subtype."

Lichtenberg clarified that there can be some side effects from getting vaccinated, but they outweigh catching the flu bug without protection.

"People will often complain of soreness or redness at the site of injection," she said. "Some people might even run a low-grade fever. That's your immune system sort of picking up that it's recognizing the vaccine. It's doing its job. Those symptoms are typically gone within two-to-three days."

That's in contrast to catching the flu or the COVID-19 virus, which can knock someone out for several days.