The Sentinel: Search results for Doug Kasper

Updated COVID-19 vaccine approved by FDA coming soon

by Matt Sheehan
OSF Healthcare

Photo provided

Dr. Doug Kasper

PEORIA - The fall virus season is upon us, and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration just approved one of the newest tools to protect Americans from severe illness.

The updated COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be available at pharmacies around the country in the coming weeks.

The mRNA vaccine is not a booster, says Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare. He says it’s recommended for a much broader portion of the population.

"The vaccine is now recommended for everybody 6 months and older as a one-time, once-a-year vaccine," Dr. Kasper says. “The vaccine has been updated. For people who are at really high risk, those 65 and older or with respiratory conditions, they may get a second shot. This would be in a six-month interval in the springtime.”

Does the vaccine prevent me from getting COVID-19?

The quick answer? No, much like you find with the annual influenza vaccine.

"The vaccine seeks to protect severe outcomes associated with COVID-19. It doesn't protect you from getting COVID, it tries to decrease the severity of how sick you would get," Dr. Kasper says.

While there has been an uptick in COVID-19 cases recently, Dr. Kasper says there has not been an increase in COVID hospitalizations. He attributes this to robust natural immunity in the population and adding this COVID-19 vaccine is just another way to protect yourself from severe illness.

FDA’s “What to Know” sheet

The 2024-2025 formula has been updated to protect against the Omicron variant KP.2.

Unvaccinated individuals 6 months through 4 years of age are eligible to receive three doses of the updated, authorized Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or two doses of the updated, authorized Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Individuals 6 months through 4 years of age who have previously been vaccinated against COVID-19 are eligible to receive one or two doses of the updated, authorized Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines (timing and number of doses to administer depends on the previous COVID-19 vaccine received).
Individuals 5 years through 11 years of age regardless of previous vaccination are eligible to receive a single dose of the updated, authorized Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines; if previously vaccinated, the dose is administered at least two months after the last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.
Individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible to receive a single dose of the updated, approved Comirnaty (manufactured by Pfizer BioNTech) or the updated, approved Spikevax (manufactured by Moderna); if previously vaccinated, the dose is administered at least two months since the last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.
Additional doses are authorized for certain immunocompromised individuals ages 6 months through 11 years of age as described in the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine fact sheets.

Commercial retailers are the way to go

As the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna become available, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) will publish a pharmacy lookup website at https://www.vaccines.gov/en/vaccines.gov to help people find the nearest vaccine locations.

Dr. Kasper says the best bet at getting a vaccine appointment for COVID-19 or influenza, is through pharmacies at local commercial retailers like Target, Walgreens, CVS or Walmart.

Free COVID-19 home tests are coming back

“The U.S. government will make the at-home COVID testing available for free again this year. You can request up to four home tests that will be delivered to your address for free,” Dr. Kasper says. That gives people another option for testing if they think they're developing signs of COVID even after receiving a vaccine, which can be another way to avoid wait lines at urgent cares, ERs or primary care clinics, and to keep themselves isolated until symptoms have resolved.”

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services reports that COVIDTests.gov will be the website to order from once the website is active.

Status of the Novavax vaccine

A third manufacturer, Novavax, makes a protein-based vaccine similar to influenza vaccines. While it hasn’t been approved by the FDA, Dr. Kasper suspects it will be soon.

"It likely will be approved, and Novavax has been a prior manufacturer of COVID-19 vaccines. That is a third option that will be coming that isn't mRNA based for people to consider if they had an adverse reaction with Pfizer or Moderna in the past,” Dr. Kasper says.

Can I get the COVID-19 and flu vaccine at the same time?

"There's no issue with timing on getting the COVID and influenza vaccines. The RSV vaccine is recommended to be given separate," Dr. Kasper says. “Most of that has to do with the fact they weren't studied together, there's not an adverse issue with it. For the population, COVID and influenza are recommended across almost all age groups. RSV is for our older population, so we recommend spacing that out by a week or two.”

For all vaccine questions, Dr. Kasper recommends speaking with your primary care team to review your options.

Back-to-school illnesses, kids need their immunizations

by Matt Sheehan
OSF Healthcare

A return to school comes with a return to activities.

But no matter if it’s fall sports, extracurricular activities, or just hanging out with friends, there comes the increase spread of viruses, according to Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare.

Photo provided

Dr. Doug Kasper

“Not only are children, but the family unit as a whole is starting to do much more. They’re going to be exposed to each other much more than they have been over the next few months,” Dr. Kasper says.

The three main viruses remain the same as the past few years: Influenza (flu), COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). But others will arise as well, including adenovirus, rhinovirus/enterovirus (common cold) and more.

When viruses tend to peak

“Influenza in Central Illinois starts to appear around November, and peaks in January,” Dr. Kasper says. “RSV, particularly in young children, starts to show up in September or October. COVID-19 has been a bit more seasonal each year, but we start to predict peaks in October. What you’ll notice is that all of those will start to overlap.”

How vaccinations play a role

As millions of kids are returning to school, Dr. Kasper says it’s time to start scheduling checkups with their pediatrician and discussing back-to-school vaccinations.

“Vaccination now has more of an effect of protecting the individual so they can remain in their activities, school or job as long as possible,” Dr. Kasper says. “We know in most situations there is more than one person in the household and more than one child at home. It's also helping decrease spread within the family unit when these things are brought home."

The flu vaccine, Dr. Kasper says, is recommended for anyone 6 months or older. Whereas the RSV vaccine is only available to certain people.

"RSV is most severe in our younger populations, ages 2 or younger, or in those 60 and older. While vaccination is only offered in select age groups, including pregnant women, there is still benefit to the family unit for the family to make sure those who can be vaccinated against RSV do get those at the appropriate time,” Dr. Kasper says.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have come and gone, but the recommendation for yearly vaccination is starting to resemble the same strategy as the flu vaccine.

"COVID-19 guidance will be a little different,” Dr. Kasper adds. “We're expecting an updated vaccine that will come out in the fall, probably October. We'll have unique recommendations for different age groups or those with medical conditions. But I'd expect the recommendation of one additional COVID-19 vaccine or booster for the fall into winter season.”

Respiratory virus symptoms

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists a dozen symptoms you may potentially experience if you become sick with one of the abovementioned viruses.

Fever
Chills
Fatigue (tiredness)
Cough
Runny or stuffy nose
Decrease in appetite
Sore throat
Vomiting
New loss of taste or smell
Headache, muscle or body aches
Diarrhea
Weakness

If you have trouble breathing or chest pain, seek emergency medical care immediately.

The CDC’s current recommendation is to stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after you are fever-free, and your symptoms are improving. Remember to wash your hands and improve airflow by opening windows and bringing in fresh outside air, purifying indoor air or spending time outdoors. Make sure to routinely change your central heating, ventilation and air conditioning system filters every few months.

IDPH reported bird flu outbreak in Illinois flocks, here's what you should know

by Matt Sheehan
OSF Healthcare

PEORIA - Last month, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has reported the state’s first bird flu cases in poultry flocks.

In a health advisory sent to long-term care (LTC) facilities, farm bureaus and local health departments, the IDPH reports large commercial poultry flocks in central and southern Illinois have recently tested positive for the H5N1 virus. Farm owners are now in the process of “de-populating” the birds.

Photo provided

Doug Kasper, M.D.
OSF Infectious Disease Specialist

Several counties in northern Illinois have reported events where many ducks and geese have died, referred to as “die-offs.” The reason LTCs received the notice is because many are located on retention ponds that attract waterfowl and wild birds.

No human cases have been reported in Illinois yet. But health officials continue to warn those who interact with potentially infected animals that if they don’t wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE), they are at higher risk of developing the novel influenza A virus due to H5N1.

Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare, says bird flu has really hurt local American farms.

"Avian flu is a different strain of Influenza A. It's a strain that has been circulating in bird and cattle populations for over two years. It has been devastating to those populations, like poultry and dairy farms across the country," Dr. Kasper says. "What was unique was that in the calendar year 2024, was the first confirmed testing where the spread from an animal to a human occurred of this specific strain of influenza."

In early January, the Louisiana Department of Health reported the first-ever human bird flu death in the United States. The patient was reported to be over 65 years of age and had underlying medical conditions. The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to sick and dead birds in a backyard flock.

Currently bird flu is only transmitted from animal to animal or animal to person. There have been no reported cases to have transmitted from human to human, but Dr. Kasper says there is always a concern about that possibility.

"Whenever there is an animal strain of infection that's not typically found in humans, we worry about the impact of if it were to cross over," Dr. Kasper says. "We've seen this with other infections throughout history. Even within COVID-19, there was the initial thought that it was an animal strain of infection."

The current flu vaccine does not protect against avian influenza, Dr. Kasper says.

"Each year the influenza vaccine, which is made up of three or four strains of influenza virus, is reexamined and matched up to a variety of factors to try and predict which strains will be most prevalent the next year," Dr. Kasper says. "Right now, avian flu cases in humans are so low that it doesn't warrant a different strain that would be much more likely to be found."

IDPH’s guidance to LTCs is to have residents tested for the flu if they are suspected of having acute respiratory illness. Don’t touch dead or sick birds, only trained staff in appropriate PPE should handle with caution.

"The average person who does not interact with poultry or dairy farms is at very low risk of avian flu," Dr. Kasper says.

There is concern that bird flu could enter the food production and distribution across America. This is why the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is closely monitoring dairy and poultry farms, to try and limit any possible contamination of dairy, meat or poultry products.

The bird flu continues to be rarely seen in humans, as only 67 cases (as of January 15) have been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most cases have been mild, Dr. Kasper says.

Measles cases reach 600: Experts warn of contagion risk and vaccine importance

by Matt Sheehan
OSF Healthcare

PEORIA - As measles cases continue to climb across the United States, the long-term implications can’t be ignored.

The respiratory viral infection, although thought eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, has reemerged, especially among unvaccinated individuals. As of early April 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported more than 600 confirmed cases of measles.

Measles is extremely contagious

"The key to measles is how highly infectious it is. Each person that has measles will infect between 12 and 18 people in an unvaccinated situation," says Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare. "The key for controlling measles is widespread vaccine use."

Doug Kasper, M.D.
OSF Infectious Disease Specialist

For reference, each influenza patient, on average, will infect one to two others.

The measles vaccine is normally offered once a child has reached one year of age. It's a two-shot series, which came on the market in 1963. Dr. Kasper says this gives medical experts decades of data that show a correlation between people receiving the vaccine, and close to zero circulation of the virus in the United States.

The states with measles outbreaks are in unvaccinated people, and no breakthrough cases (in those who have received the vaccine) have been reported, Dr. Kasper adds.

The long-term risks for unvaccinated measles patients

"There is emerging information that vaccination not only protects an individual from not becoming ill or having less severity of illness with a viral exposure, whether that's measles, chicken pox, influenza or COVID-19, but that there are long-term risks from viral infections that we do not appreciate in the moment," Dr. Kasper says. "Some of these have been associated with memory loss or dementia as somebody ages. Some of these are associated with organ disease like hepatitis or kidney disease."

Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE)

SSPE is a rare, deadly degenerative disease of the central nervous system that can happen seven to 10 years after a measles infection. Young children, pregnant women and immunocompromised people are the most at-risk for SSPE. One to three out of every 1,000 children who become infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurologic complications, the CDC says.

SSPE symptoms happen over four stages.

Stage 1: Personality changes, mood swings or depression. There may also be fever and headaches, this stage can last up to six months
Stage 2: Muscle spasms and uncontrolled movement problems. Loss of vision, dementia and seizures can occur
Stage 3: Twisting movements and rigidity. Sometimes death
Stage 4: Serious brain damage, including areas of the brain that control breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, leading to coma and death

Immune amnesia

Another long-term impact of measles is known as immune amnesia. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) calls immune amnesia “one of the most unique and most dangerous features of measles pathogenesis.” The extremely rare condition causes people’s immune systems to “forget” how to fight off infections and makes the person more susceptible. The ASM determined it normally takes two to three years after a measles infection for protective immunity to return.

A measles outbreak was declared in Northeast Illinois in early 2024 and declared “over” by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) in June. The expectation of statewide health experts is that measles will return to Illinois in the coming months. This is mainly due to heavy travel through Chicago airports and summer festivals. County health departments have now been tasked with keeping an eye on their measles vaccine rates and identifying areas where vaccine rates are low.

Peoria County's measles vaccine rate is quite high, around 95%. But outlying communities in central Illinois have lower vaccine rates, normally more rural counties. Health experts at Michigan Medicine call the Great Lake State “ripe for a measles outbreak,” as only 66% of toddlers receive the recommended childhood immunizations.

Measles symptoms

"Measles typically presents with a high fever, typically much higher than what we'd see with seasonal colds or influenza. Fevers can be 104 or 105 degrees Fahrenheit," Dr. Kasper says. "That's followed by a runny nose and a characteristic rash. This typically develops on the head and then spreads down the rest of the body."

“We don’t want to go back”

"Measles at its peak, in the 1950s before the vaccine, led to a significant number of hospitalizations in young children. Around 50,000 hospitalizations were estimated per year and about 500 deaths," Dr. Kasper says. "We don't want to go back to that scenario in any capacity, where we have a large number of unvaccinated people. The outcomes could be too severe."

Immunocompromised people like those who have received an organ transplant, cancer patients or those on long-term therapies that could impact their immune system, are at high risk for measles.

Why vaccines are so important right now

Summer travel along with large crowds at places like airports and theme parks, will likely bring more measles cases to the United States.

"This time, as good as any time, is to make sure somebody is updated on their vaccinations. If somebody isn't sure if they were vaccinated as a child, they should talk to their primary care provider about testing or receiving the vaccine. If someone is immunocompromised and they might be at a higher risk for measles through travel in areas that have exposure, they should talk to their primary care provider about the vaccine," Dr. Kasper says. "If someone has young children or is at an age where vaccine is recommended, we wholly recommend for them to discuss with their provider to remain up to date on their vaccine series."

Vaccine hesitancy continues to be a topic of discussion, one that Dr. Kasper recommends patients openly discuss with their medical provider.

Natural immunity is not a viable option with measles. The highly infectious nature of the virus, along with the severity of symptoms and potential for long-term complications, make it an illness people need to try and avoid entirely.

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