Medical societies issue unified flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccine guidance for 2026-27 season
In the United States, infectious disease specialists said that flu shots given too early may lose effectiveness before the season ends, and they recommended receiving the vaccine in October for most people (Prevention). Earlier, major U. S. medical societies—including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the American Medical Association—issued coordinated guidance for the 2026-27 flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, emphasizing safety, effectiveness and timing after the CDC declined to issue new recommendations (AP News). The groups also launched the website Spreadthefacts.
org to provide evidence-based recommendations (Detroit Free Press). Health insurers announced they would cover the FDA-approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for the season, and the FDA confirmed approval of the updated flu and COVID-19 shots (Ars Technica). State health officials in Maryland adopted the same guidance under new authority (thebanner. com), while Colorado officials urged residents, especially high-risk individuals, to be vaccinated promptly as COVID-19 cases rose (The Denver Post). Additional recommendations targeted adults 50 and older, including enhanced flu shots for those 65+ and a universal RSV dose for adults 75+, with Medicare covering the vaccines at no cost (Money Talks News).
