SEATTLE — There’s a bit of a chill in the air, pumpkin spice in your coffee and the kids are heading back to school — which means the threat of respiratory viruses like COVID-19, the flu and RSV looms.
Some respiratory illnesses have already arrived. Seasonal flu activity is still low nationally, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But some flu indicators are gradually increasing, especially in the West. Health officials in King County, Washington, note that since mid-August, there has been an increase in the number of people with the flu going to emergency departments in the area.
Vaccines that help prevent disease and reduce the risk of serious infections and hospitalization are now available, and for some people, it’s a good time to roll up their sleeves.
Typically, the CDC launches a fall campaign at this time of year, recommending seasonal vaccinations such as the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccines. But after sweeping changes to the agency’s vaccine advisory committee during the second Trump administration and ongoing lawsuits, the CDC recently released guidelines online to follow last year’s recommendations for influenza and COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the American Medical Association and the University of Minnesota’s Vaccine Integrity Project launched their own independent reviews of vaccines — including those for flu, COVID and RSV — this fall that were published in September in the medical journal JAMA.
The summary papers helped inform respiratory virus vaccination recommendations for 2026-27 issued by several medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
“For more than 60 years, the United States has had an established federal process for evaluating vaccine evidence and translating that scientific data into recommendations for the American public. At the center of that process was the Centers for Disease Control and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, ACIP,” Dr. Bruce Gellin, chairman of the board of directors of the Vaccine Integrity Project and professor of medicine at Georgetown University, said at a news conference.
“Unfortunately, today the federal government is not fulfilling this responsibility as it always has. But the need for this work has not gone away. Influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV viruses will circulate again this fall and winter,” Gellin said.
“Clinicians will still have patients to care for. Parents will still have decisions to make for their children, and older Americans, pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions will still need to know how to best protect themselves,” he said. “We cannot allow the failure of a federal process to create a void in evidence-based vaccine guidance.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to CNN’s request for comment on the groups’ recommendations.
Flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines are now available at most major pharmacies.
“And really reassuringly, insurers have indicated to large groups that they will cover these respiratory virus vaccinations,” Dr. Sarah Nosal, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, said at a press briefing.
Ordering through Vaccines for Children, the federal program that provides free routine vaccinations to children who are uninsured or underinsured or whose families could not otherwise afford them, has also begun. About half of American children are eligible for the program.
“Vaccines are one of medicine’s greatest achievements. They prevent serious illness, reduce hospitalizations and long-term complications, and save lives,” Nosal said in a press release. “As federal guidelines evolve, the science behind vaccines remains strong. These recommendations are based on the most recent evidence, informed by public health experts and shaped by what family doctors see in their patients every day.
RSV Immunization
Who should get it
Groups eligible for RSV vaccination include the elderly, pregnant people, and infants.
“People aged 50 and over with high-risk conditions, as well as everyone over 75, should receive one dose,” Nosal said. “This is not an annual vaccine. If you received one before, you will not need a new one this year. Getting one should protect you throughout the season.”
During pregnancy, RSV vaccination is recommended in the third trimester, between weeks 32 and 36.
Children younger than 8 months should be vaccinated against RSV using a monoclonal antibody unless their mother was vaccinated against RSV during pregnancy, said Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
And a single dose of RSV vaccine is recommended for adults with weakened immune systems.
When to get it
For older adults, RSV vaccinations are generally recommended in late summer and early fall.
The advice has changed slightly this year for pregnant people.
For infants, RSV monoclonal antibody is generally recommended during the viral season, October through March.
Seasonal flu vaccines
Who should get it
It is recommended that everyone aged 6 months and older be vaccinated against the flu every year.
“On average, flu vaccines reduce the risk of needing to see a doctor by 30 to 60 percent,” Nosal said.
“Adults 65 years and older should receive an enhanced, high-dose, adjuvanted or recombinant influenza vaccine when available,” she said. “But do not delay your vaccination if it is not available.”
And for the first time, an mRNA-based flu vaccine is available for adults 50 and older.
When to get it
October is the ideal time to get vaccinated, Nolan said, because “protection wanes throughout the season.”
Some providers use the slogan “flu before the hoot” to remind people to get their flu shot before Halloween.
Updated COVID-19 vaccines
Who should get it
It is recommended that all adults receive up-to-date COVID-19 vaccinations.
“If you are over 19, we recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccine,” Nosal said.
“This is especially important for people 65 and older, who are at increased risk of severe COVID infection and for those who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine,” she said. “For adults 65 and older, they should receive a second dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine six months after this season’s initial dose to help maintain protection as immunity wanes over time.”
The vaccine is also recommended for infants aged six to 23 months, as well as children in certain high-risk groups or those whose families request vaccination.
When to get it
It is recommended to receive the updated vaccine now, but if you have recently been infected with Covid, experts advise waiting four to six months before getting vaccinated.
The updated COVID-19 vaccine “targets the newest strain that’s circulating, and so if you want to update your protection, this is the best way to do it,” Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, president-elect of the American Medical Association, said during a press briefing.
The key takeaways from this article were generated with the help of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article itself is solely written by humans.
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