Health experts urge early flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccinations as fall approaches

Medical professionals are urging the public to receive flu vaccinations promptly, before influenza spreads widely, and to update protection against other seasonal respiratory viruses such as COVID-19 and RSV. The flu alone accounts for hundreds of thousands of U.S. hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths each year. > "Vaccination isn’t a guarantee that we’re going to prevent illness. But just like the seat belt in your car, it decreases risk," said Dr. Ryan Stanton of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Guidance traditionally issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this year is pending due to a court dispute, prompting several medical societies—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—to release their own recommendations and supporting evidence.

The societies agree that nearly everyone aged six months and older should receive a flu shot, with particular emphasis on seniors, pregnant women, young children and individuals with chronic conditions. Enhanced flu vaccines designed for older adults are available, and the FDA has approved an mRNA-based flu vaccine, Moderna’s mFlusiva, for people 50 and older, which a study found to be 27% more effective than standard shots in adults 50-64. A nasal spray option, FluMist, is offered for eligible individuals aged 2-49.

COVID-19 vaccination recommendations have shifted, with the FDA formally approving the shots for higher-risk groups, but most physicians continue to advise all adults, especially seniors, to receive a fall dose and a booster six months later. Pediatric societies support COVID-19 vaccination for children as young as six months, and ACOG’s Dr. Christina Davidson noted that extensive data show no increased risk of miscarriage from vaccination during pregnancy.

RSV vaccination is also advised for adults 75 and older, those 50-74 with risk factors, and immunocompromised individuals, as well as for pregnant women to protect newborns.

Vaccines are widely available at pharmacies, pediatric offices and clinics, with most insurers, including Medicare, covering the fall shots through at least 2027. Experts suggest October as the optimal time for vaccination, noting that protection develops within two weeks and that COVID-19 cases typically rise again in winter.

Common side effects for flu and COVID-19 vaccines are mild and temporary, such as soreness at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle aches and low-grade fever.