What is Prednisone for Cats? And What About Prednisolone for Cats?

6 month heartworm medicine :: Article Creator

Spectrum Of Care In Heartworm Disease

Why The CDC Recommends That Everyone Over The Age Of 6 Months Get The Updated COVID Vaccine

An independent panel of advisers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that everyone over the age of 6 months get the updated COVID vaccine this fall.

"Even children and adults with no underlying conditions can still experience severe illness due to COVID," said Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine.

Most infectious disease experts agree with the recommendations made by the federal health agency.

"I agree with the CDC recommendations because it is a simple recommendation to follow, and I believe that the benefit of the vaccine outweighs any risk at every age level," Dr. Todd Ellerin, chief of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, told ABC News.

"It's consistent and harmonized with the flu shot and I think that really important. We need to emphasize that," he added.

Dr. Donald Alcendor, a professor of microbiology, immunology and physiology at Vanderbilt University, said the sweeping recommendation "was the right thing to do."

"If you start to restrict recommendations to certain age groups or vulnerabilities and leave younger people out of it, you forget that young people can spread COVID and can get older people sick," he told ABC News.

MORE: Federal government to relaunch free COVID test program

Some of the CDC's advisers pointed out that only about 20% of American adults received the COVID bivalent booster last fall. However, around 45% of those over the age of 65 – those most at risk – got the shot.

"It's clear that the vaccines are most important for the elderly in the extremes of age, those with comorbidities like heart disease, diabetes, and the immune compromised," Ellerin said.

Dr. Pablo Sanchez, a professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, was the only member of the CDC advisory panel to vote against the new vaccine recommendation.

"The group that should get it are those who are at the highest risk ... Those [who are] are greater than 65 years of age and younger individuals with risk factors," he told ABC News. "The healthy adolescent, the male 20-something year old who's already had COVID, may already have been vaccinated ... I'm not sure if that individual should get one or even needs one."

Over 96% of people over the age of 16 are estimated to have some level of antibodies from either past infections or previous vaccines, offering some degree of protection, according to the CDC. But that protection does not last forever, leaving some potentially at risk for severe illness.

"Immunity wanes after anywhere from three to six months. That will be different for different people. Immunity waning in 5-year-old versus a 75-year-old will be different ... The immune system is weakened with age," Alcendor said.

An updated vaccine may also offer some additional protection against infection.

"You may actually get a bonus effect which is prevention of infection. Some people may think of it as protection for the holiday period, or before taking that big trip, or going to a place where there might be others at risk," Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, told ABC News.

MORE: Weekly COVID hospitalizations reach 20,000 for 1st time since March but new vaccine could help: Experts

A point of contention among the advisers was whether or not children should be recommended to receive the updated vaccine.

"A lot of pediatricians feel strongly about this. It is still one of the top 10 causes of death even though it's not high numbers. All of these younger kids being born now, it's why we give childhood immunizations, they haven't seen the real virus before, so you want to give them priming to give a jumpstart on the rest of their lives," Chin-Hong said.

One concern with the COVID vaccines is the rare potential for myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle. Most cases get better on their own or respond to care quickly, according to the CDC. And the risk of myocarditis is higher when people get a COVID-19 infection versus a vaccine shot, according to published peer-reviewed studies and the CDC.

"There is a rare risk of vaccine-induced myocarditis, which is more pronounced in young men that are typically in older adolescent years or 20s. But the risk is extremely low, the outcomes are usually very good," Ellerin said.

The risk of myocarditis may be more pronounced if vaccine doses are scheduled closely together. Most studies show the second dose of the primary series, typically three to four weeks after the first, had the highest rates of myocarditis.

"Any sort of inflammatory syndrome from vaccines, you have a bunch of immune cells floating and you stimulate them to make more immune cells. That agitation can cause some of these side effects," Chin-Hong said.

It may help to wait to get an updated vaccine if you recently got one, experts say. The CDC recommends waiting at least two months between vaccines or consider delaying a shot three months after COVID symptoms started or a positive test.

Updated COVID-19 vaccines are now available in pharmacies across the country, with health officials urging the public to get all vaccines they are eligible for ahead of the winter respiratory virus season. Everyone older than 6 months is eligible for COVID and flu shots, and seniors are eligible for newly approved RSV vaccines.

Best 6-month CD Rates For 2023

With a short-term CD you can earn a high rate of interest and withdraw the funds in just a few months. Getty Images

With the Federal Reserve setting its interest rate range at a 22-year high, many banks and credit unions have responded by raising the rates they provide to their own customers to attract deposits. Now, individuals can often find savings vehicles, such as high-yield savings accounts or certificates of deposits (CDs), paying near or even above 5%.

In this environment, many savers are turning to products like 6-month CDs to help grow their savings while retaining some flexibility.

Rather than committing to a long-term CD, one benefit of putting money in 6-month CDs is that you can re-evaluate what to do with your funds in the near future. If rates go up, you might renew your CD at a higher rate. If rates go down, you might look for other investments, such as stocks.

Short-term CDs can also have advantages over high-yield savings accounts by paying slightly higher interest rates. Plus, some people like the idea of separating their savings into another type of account, as you might be less tempted to use this money if it's tied up in a CD, rather than sitting in your regular bank account.

So, if you're looking for the best CD rates for 6-month terms, it helps to know which ones offer a strong mix of features such as high rates and broad access. Start searching for a high interest-earning CD here now.

Best 6-month CD rates for 2023

Here are some of the best short-term CDs currently available, listed in descending order by APY.

Merrick Bank: 5.50% APY

Merrick Bank has one of the best 6-month CD rates in the nation with a 5.50% annual percentage yield (APY), along with highly competitive yields on other durations, such as a 5.60% APY on a 12-month CD. Note that the bank requires a $25,000 minimum deposit, but if you have that much to save, then this could be a great place to earn some extra return on your cash. The bank also offers products such as credit cards geared toward those looking to build or repair their credit.

Bank5 Connect: 5.50% APY

Bank5 Connect, the online division of community bank BankFive, offers online access to some of the best CD rates for those living outside of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The bank's 6-month CD has a 5.50% APY with a $500 minimum deposit. Bank5 Connect also offers products such as a jumbo savings account, where balances of at least $25,000 can earn a 5.10% APY, with insurance for every dollar, including on amounts that exceed FDIC limits.

Bask Bank: 5.25% APY

Bask Bank is the online division of Texas Capital Bank and has one of the best 6-month CD rates at 5.25% APY with a $1,000 minimum deposit. One advantage of Bask Bank, beyond its competitive CD rates, is that it offers a unique savings account that lets you earn American Airlines reward miles instead of traditional interest.

Find a top interest-earning CD here today!

Prime Alliance Bank: 5.25% APY

Prime Alliance Bank is another community bank that offers some of the best CD rates online. Its 6-month CDs have a 5.25% APY with a $500 minimum. The bank also offers 12-, 18-, 24- and 36-month CDs with competitive APYs, ranging from 4.97%-5.25%. This similarity in rates could be attractive to those looking to build a CD ladder with relatively consistent payouts.

BMO Alto: 5.20% APY

BMO Alto, the online division of BMO, also has attractive CD offers. The bank's online-only CDs have no minimum deposit, and its 6-month CD has a 5.20% APY. BMO Alto also has a high-yield savings account with no minimum deposit, no account fees and a 4.85% APY.

TAB Bank: 5.02% APY

This online bank specializes in serving truck drivers and trucking companies, but you don't have to be in the transportation industry to take advantage of TAB Bank's great CD rates. A 6-month CD at this bank has a 5.02% APY with a $1,000 minimum deposit. It offers this same rate for 9-month and 12-month CDs.

Synchrony Bank: 4.90% APY

Synchrony Bank is another great choice for savers looking for an online bank with some of the best CD rates. Its 6-month CD has a 4.90% APY with no minimum, and it also offers products like step-up CDs and no-penalty CDs for those looking for more flexibility. The bank also offers a 16-month CD—a term that many banks do not offer—that provides a 5.40% APY.

Start earning more money with a top CD rate here now.

The bottom line

Choosing one of these banks for a 6-month CD can be a great way to boost your interest earnings, but keep in mind that your decision might be driven by more than just where to find the best CD rates.

A slightly lower APY might be worth it, for example, if the bank or credit union makes it easy for you to deposit or withdraw money. Or, you might prefer a financial institution that you can work with long term, rather than just for the duration of a short-term CD. So, compare both rates and features of different banks and credit unions, and read reviews to see where you might be comfortable parking your money. Get started here now.

MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money More