Physician groups release vaccine recommendations for adults 50 and older amid CDC pause
Four major medical societies issued guidance for flu, COVID-19, RSV, shingles and pneumococcal vaccinations for people aged 50+, noting enhanced flu shots for those 65+ and a universal RSV dose for adults 75 and older. All recommended vaccines are covered at no cost for Medicare beneficiaries.
With the federal advisory committee that normally sets seasonal vaccine recommendations frozen by a lawsuit, four leading physician organizations — the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Infectious Diseases Society of America — published their own guidance on September 2. The recommendations, based on an independent evidence review conducted by the University of Minnesota, outline which vaccines adults 50 and older should receive for the 2026-27 season.
Adults 50-64 are advised to receive the annual flu shot, the updated 2026-27 COVID-19 vaccine (one dose, with eligibility for those under 65 limited to people with qualifying health conditions), a one-time RSV vaccine if they have chronic heart, lung, diabetes, immune-compromising or similar conditions, the two-dose shingles vaccine, and a pneumococcal vaccine now recommended for everyone in this age group.
For those 65-74, the same vaccines apply, with two upgrades: an enhanced flu vaccine (high-dose, adjuvanted, recombinant or the new mRNA formulation) and a second COVID-19 dose administered six months after the first. RSV vaccination remains conditional on underlying risk factors.
Adults 75 and older should receive all of the above plus a universal RSV vaccine, regardless of health status, reflecting higher hospitalization rates for COVID-19 and RSV in this cohort.
The societies note that the vaccines can be administered at the same visit, and spacing them a week or two apart is also acceptable. Medicare covers flu, COVID-19 and pneumococcal shots under Part B with no copay, and shingles and RSV vaccines under Part D at no cost since 2023. Major private insurers have pledged to cover the recommended vaccines without cost-sharing through the end of 2027.
"The CDC keeps saying September or October," the guidance emphasizes, urging timely vaccination to ensure protection before the winter season.
The guidance also warns that a few pharmacy chains in certain states may still require a physician’s prescription for a COVID-19 shot; patients encountering this should contact their doctor for a prescription or standing order.