Health
U.S. medical organizations issue updated fall vaccination guidance for flu, COVID-19, and RSV
Major physician groups released independent recommendations to provide clarity amid ongoing changes in federal guidance.
The short version
- Prominent U.S. medical groups have issued fall vaccination guidance for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV.
- The independent guidance aims to address public uncertainty following rollbacks in federal recommendations and legal disputes surrounding the CDC's advisory panel.
- The medical societies advise annual flu shots starting at 6 months of age and broader COVID-19 and RSV protections tailored by age and risk group.
Key facts
- 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 jointly released updated fall vaccine guidelines.[Associated Press]
- The American Medical Association launched the website SpreadTheFacts.org to centralize evidence on vaccine efficacy and safety while federal processes remain in flux.[Associated Press]
- Medical groups advise annual influenza vaccination for nearly everyone starting at 6 months old, noting new choices this year including Moderna's mRNA-based flu vaccine, mFlusiva, for adults ages 50 and older.[Associated Press]
- Family physicians recommend COVID-19 vaccination for all adults, advising people 65 and older to receive an autumn dose followed by a second shot six months later.[Associated Press]
- For RSV protection, physicians recommend a single lifetime vaccination for adults 75 and older, individuals ages 50 to 74 with elevated risk factors, and pregnant individuals to protect newborns.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- It is unclear whether the CDC will issue its own fall guidance, as the agency did not respond to inquiries and its independent advisory panel remains involved in legal litigation.[Associated Press]