Gov. Kathy Hochul received her seasonal flu shot on Wednesday and urged New Yorkers to prepare for the colder weather months by guarding against respiratory virus infections. 

The push from Hochul for both seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccine booster shots comes as the pandemic has continued on into the fall and many guidelines put in place meant to limit the spread of the virus have been scaled back. 

At the same time, however, health officials are urging people to receive booster shots if they qualify for one as well as their seasonal flu shot. A relatively small percentage of qualified people in the state have received a bivalent COVID-19 booster. 

"We are not backing down in our fight against deadly respiratory illnesses — we have been preparing for the winter, and we are ready," Hochul said. "New York State is taking action to provide guidance to hospitals and local health departments to ensure that we keep New Yorkers safe and healthy. Our best shot at protecting ourselves and fellow New Yorkers from respiratory illnesses continues to be getting vaccinated, staying up to date on boosters, and practicing good hygiene."

New York health officials at the state and local level have been dealing with outbreaks beyond COVID-19 this year, including monkeypox cases as well as polio in parts of New York City and the surrounding area. 

An ongoing concern for public health officials has been to not overwhelm hospitals in the state with patients who need care. 

Meanwhile, there has also been heightened worries over the respiratory syncytial virus affecting kids. 

"As the respiratory virus season begins, including COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the symptoms for all three illnesses may be indistinguishable, and for the vast majority of older children these illnesses are mild," said state Health Commissioner Mary Bassett. "While we await a RSV vaccine, we have two straightforward messages for parents and guardians: make sure your child is up to date on their COVID-19 vaccination, and get a flu shot for children 6 months of age or older. Even if your child does get sick, the effects of immunizations have been shown to lessen illness severity. If you are concerned about your child, speak with a pediatrician or other health care professional. If your infant was born premature or otherwise fragile, you should seek medical advice early."