Advice to Help Keep Patients Healthy During the Holidays – Medscape

Report on Seasonal Health Risks and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

The autumn season marks a critical period for public health, signaling the onset of increased respiratory illness transmission. Holiday gatherings create conditions conducive to the spread of communicable diseases, presenting a significant challenge to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The transmission of viruses, bacteria, and parasites via direct contact, respiratory droplets, and contaminated food and water undermines global health security. This report analyzes these seasonal health threats through the lens of the SDGs, emphasizing preventive measures crucial for progress.

Mitigating Communicable Diseases to Advance Global Health Targets

Vaccination as a Cornerstone for SDG Target 3.3

Preventing epidemics and combating communicable diseases are central to SDG Target 3.3. Vaccination remains the most effective intervention against seasonal respiratory illnesses such as influenza and COVID-19. Widespread immunization coverage directly supports SDG Target 3.8 by providing access to essential, life-saving vaccines, thereby reducing disease acquisition, severe complications, hospitalization, and death. Protecting populations through vaccination is fundamental to building resilient healthcare systems and ensuring universal health coverage.

Analysis of Influenza Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Data from the 2024-2025 influenza season underscore the severe consequences of inadequate vaccination coverage, particularly among children, hindering progress toward SDG 3. Key findings include:

• A total of 280 pediatric influenza deaths were recorded.
• Among these fatalities, 89% of vaccine-eligible children were not fully vaccinated.
• A significant increase in influenza-associated encephalopathy was reported, with 109 cases identified.
• Of the children with encephalopathy who were eligible for the vaccine, only 16% had received it.

These statistics highlight a critical gap in public health delivery and the urgent need to improve vaccine uptake to protect child health and well-being.

COVID-19 and Pertussis: Ongoing Threats to Public Health

The public health landscape continues to be shaped by COVID-19 and the resurgence of other vaccine-preventable diseases. While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends COVID-19 immunization for all children aged 6 months and older, current federal guidelines advocate for shared decision-making. Concurrently, pertussis cases have returned to pre-pandemic levels, with notable outbreaks reported. Data from Louisiana in early 2025 revealed:

• 164 total cases, resulting in 42 hospitalizations and two deaths.
• Both fatalities occurred in infants, who also accounted for 70% of hospitalizations.

These outbreaks demonstrate the fragility of herd immunity and the critical importance of maintaining high immunization rates for diseases like pertussis to protect the most vulnerable, in line with SDG 3.

Ensuring Food and Water Safety in Support of SDG 2, SDG 3, and SDG 6

Major Foodborne Pathogens and Public Health Burden

Foodborne illnesses represent a significant threat to public health, directly impacting SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), which includes access to safe food, and SDG 3. The U.S. Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) identifies seven primary causes of foodborne illness:

1. Norovirus
2. Nontyphoidal Salmonella species
3. Clostridium perfringens
4. Listeria monocytogenes
5. Campylobacter species
6. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli
7. Toxoplasma gondii

Listeria alone is estimated to cause 9.9 million illnesses and 931 deaths annually. Preventing these illnesses through robust food safety practices is essential for public health.

Recommended Control Measures for Disease Prevention

Adherence to hygiene and food safety protocols is crucial for mitigating the risk of foodborne and waterborne diseases, supporting both SDG 3 and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). Key preventive strategies include:

• Practicing frequent and thorough handwashing.
• Ensuring meat and poultry are cooked to safe internal temperatures.
• Avoiding unpasteurized milk and unwashed produce.
• Preventing cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods during preparation.

International Travel and Global Health Security (SDG 3)

Pre-Travel Health Preparedness and Immunization

International travel necessitates proactive health measures to prevent the cross-border spread of disease, a key component of strengthening global health security under SDG Target 3.d. Travelers should receive counseling and necessary immunizations at least six weeks prior to departure. It is imperative that routine immunizations are current before travel. Specific guidelines for the MMR vaccine for traveling infants and children include:

• Infants 6-11 months: Administer one dose of MMR vaccine prior to travel. The standard two-dose series should be completed after 12 months of age.
• Children 12 months and older: Administer the second dose at least four weeks after the first dose if travel occurs before the routine schedule.

Coordination is required for the co-administration of live vaccines such as MMR and yellow fever. Depending on the destination, typhoid vaccine and antimalarial prophylaxis may also be necessary.

Environmental Health Risks and Mitigation

Travel to regions with inadequate sanitation infrastructure highlights global disparities and reinforces the importance of SDG 6. To prevent waterborne illnesses, travelers should consume only bottled or boiled water. Adherence to stringent food safety practices is equally critical to minimize the risk of disease acquisition abroad.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article primarily addresses issues related to Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being. The entire text focuses on preventing and managing communicable diseases, promoting vaccination, ensuring food safety, and providing health advice for international travel, all of which are central tenets of SDG 3.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s discussion of infectious diseases, child mortality, vaccination, and global health risks, the following specific targets under SDG 3 can be identified:

• Target 3.2: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age

  The article directly connects to this target by highlighting the severe impact of respiratory illnesses on children. It cites “280 pediatric influenza deaths in the 2024-2025 influenza season” and notes that two infant fatalities resulted from a pertussis outbreak. The discussion of influenza-associated encephalopathy, with a 19% fatality rate in children, further underscores the focus on preventing child deaths from treatable or preventable diseases.

• Target 3.3: End the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases

  This target is central to the article, which is almost entirely about combating communicable diseases. It covers a range of illnesses:

  1. Respiratory Illnesses: Influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and pertussis are discussed in detail as significant public health concerns.
  2. Foodborne Illnesses: The article lists major causes of foodborne illness in the US, such as norovirus, Salmonella, and Listeria, and provides statistics on their impact (“Listeria annually is responsible for an estimated 9.9 million illnesses, 53,300 hospitalizations, and 931 deaths”).
  3. Travel-Related Diseases: It mentions diseases relevant to international travel, including yellow fever, typhoid, malaria, and canine rabies, emphasizing the need for prevention.

• Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all

  The article’s strong emphasis on vaccination as a primary preventive measure relates directly to this target. It discusses the availability and importance of vaccines for influenza, COVID-19, RSV, pertussis, and MMR. The text points to gaps in vaccine coverage, such as “89% of vaccine-eligible children were not fully vaccinated” against influenza in one cohort, highlighting the challenge of ensuring universal access and uptake of essential vaccines.

• Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks

  The section on “International Travel” directly addresses this target. It stresses the importance of travel medicine clinics, pre-travel counseling, and awareness of country-specific health risks and entry requirements. By advising on vaccinations like yellow fever and MMR for travelers and precautions against foodborne and waterborne illnesses in less developed countries, the article promotes measures to manage the cross-border spread of diseases and reduce global health risks.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article contains several specific data points and concepts that align with official SDG indicators used to measure progress.

• Indicators for Target 3.2 (End preventable child deaths)

  The article provides disease-specific mortality data for children, which can be seen as a component of the broader SDG indicators:

  1. Child Mortality Data: The mention of “280 pediatric influenza deaths” and “two deaths” of infants from pertussis are direct measures of child mortality from specific preventable diseases. This data contributes to the overall understanding of the Under-5 mortality rate (Indicator 3.2.1) and Neonatal mortality rate (Indicator 3.2.2).

• Indicators for Target 3.3 (End epidemics of communicable diseases)

  The article implies the use of incidence and mortality rates for various diseases, which aligns with the indicators for this target:

  1. Disease Incidence and Mortality: The article provides statistics like “164 cases [of pertussis], including 42 hospitalizations and two deaths” and estimates for Listeria causing “9.9 million illnesses” and “931 deaths” annually. These figures are examples of data used to track the incidence of specific communicable diseases (related to Indicators 3.3.2, 3.3.3, 3.3.4).

• Indicators for Target 3.8 (Achieve universal health coverage)

  The article explicitly provides data on vaccination coverage, which is a key metric for universal health coverage.

  1. Vaccination Coverage Rates: The statistics that “89% of vaccine-eligible children were not fully vaccinated” against influenza and that only “16%” of children with influenza-associated encephalopathy had received the vaccine are direct measures of immunization coverage. This aligns with the measurement of Coverage of essential health services (Indicator 3.8.1), which includes the proportion of the target population covered by essential vaccines.

• Indicators for Target 3.d (Strengthen capacity for global health risks)

  While not providing a quantitative metric, the article’s content implies the importance of national health system preparedness.

  1. Health System Preparedness: The recommendation for travelers to consult “a travel medicine clinic” at least 6 weeks before departure implies a system for managing international health risks. This relates to the concept behind International Health Regulations (IHR) capacity and health emergency preparedness (Indicator 3.d.1), which assesses a country’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to public health events.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: medscape.com