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Leading U.S. medical organizations are encouraging Americans to receive updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines this fall. The groups issued joint recommendations Wednesday while emphasizing the science behind the shots, saying they hope to reduce confusion created by the Trump administration’s shifting guidance.
Flu vaccinations are underway, and updated COVID-19 shots are beginning to arrive after the Food and Drug Administration approved them last week.
The fall and winter seasons also bring another vaccine-preventable illness: respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. That raises questions about who should receive each vaccine and when.
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Dig deeper:
Recommendations have traditionally come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with input from its independent advisers. However, despite no new scientific evidence, Trump health officials last year began rolling back several longstanding recommendations for fall respiratory virus protection and routine childhood vaccinations. The advisory panel that helps shape state and insurance vaccine policies is also involved in a legal dispute. The CDC did not respond to questions about updated fall guidance.
Doctors’ groups are now helping fill the void. The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Infectious Diseases Society of America each released vaccination recommendations for their respective patient groups.
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COVID shots no longer recommended by CDC for kids
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says CDC no longer recommends COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children or pregnant women. The move was announced via a video on X without CDC officials present. A CDC advisory panel was set to vote in June on updated vaccine guidance.
"There’s been a lot of confusion and chaos regarding vaccine recommendations," said Dr. Sandra Fryhofer of the American Medical Association.
The groups’ recommendations, along with information about vaccine safety and effectiveness, are available online and through other websites so "the public has clear, consistent, science-based guidance even while the federal process is in flux," Fryhofer said.
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Nearly everyone should get a flu vaccine
Why you should care:
The medical groups agree that nearly everyone 6 months and older should receive a flu vaccine. The illness poses a particular risk to adults 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and people with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or weakened immune systems.
Flu vaccines do not prevent every infection, but they can reduce the risk of serious illness. According to the Vaccine Integrity Project, a public health group based at the University of Minnesota, vaccination reduced flu-related hospitalizations among older adults by 31%. The analysis was published Wednesday in JAMA.
How to choose among the flu vaccines
What you can do:
Three "enhanced" flu vaccines are intended to provide stronger protection for older adults. The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that seniors choose one of those options — "but do not delay your vaccination if that one’s not available," said AAFP’s Dr. Sarah Nosal.
A new option is available this year for people 50 and older. Moderna’s mFlusiva is the first flu vaccine to use the same mRNA technology that played a major role in the development of COVID-19 vaccines.
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One study found that mFlusiva was 27% more effective at preventing symptomatic illness among adults ages 50 to 64 than a standard flu shot. The FDA recently approved the vaccine, and Moderna expects limited supplies to reach certain pharmacies soon.
People who do not want an injection may be eligible for FluMist, a nasal spray vaccine available to those ages 2 to 49 who meet certain health requirements.
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Is it the flu or is it COVID?
A quicker, easier way to diagnose common respiratory illnesses this season is available. At-home tests that can tell you if you have the flu or COVID-19 in just one swoop are readily available as the holiday season approaches, cutting out the need for doctor or urgent care visits. Dr. Annette Esper, Professor at Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine, joined LiveNOW from FOX to discuss.
What to know about the latest COVID-19 vaccines
Dig deeper:
Federal health officials once recommended COVID-19 vaccination for nearly everyone. However, as was the case last year, the FDA has formally approved the updated shots only for adults 65 and older or younger people with at least one medical condition that raises their risk.
Family physicians still recommend that all adults get vaccinated, particularly older adults and people with underlying health risks. Adults 65 and older should receive a fall dose followed by another dose six months later because protection decreases over time, Nosal said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends COVID-19 vaccination for all children ages 6 months through 23 months, as well as older children with high-risk medical conditions. The group also supports vaccination for any child whose parent wants them to receive it.
Millions of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, and there is no evidence that vaccination during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage or other complications, "so please get the vaccine," said ACOG’s Dr. Christina Davidson.
Depending on their age, patients can choose vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer or Novavax-Sanofi, the only non-mRNA option.
Like flu shots, COVID-19 vaccines offer stronger protection against severe illness than mild infection. The Vaccine Integrity Project reported that last fall’s COVID-19 vaccines reduced seniors’ hospitalization risk by 53% and significantly lowered emergency room visits among very young children.
The most common side effects of flu and COVID-19 vaccines are generally mild and temporary. They can include a sore arm, fatigue, headache, muscle aches and a low-grade fever. Those effects occurred somewhat more frequently after the new mFlusiva vaccine than after standard flu shots.
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Students still struggling in the classroom post-COVID
About a third of U.S. K-12 students this school year are behind grade level, according to a recent survey, a long-term effect of remote schooling and the COVID pandemic era. The data is from the School Pulse Panel, a monthly National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) survey of nearly 4,000 nationally representative grade schools. Jeanne Allen, the Founder & CEO of The Center for Education Reform, joins LiveNOW from FOX.
RSV is usually mild but can be dangerous
Big picture view:
RSV typically causes cold-like symptoms during the fall, winter and early spring. However, it can lead to severe or life-threatening illness in infants and older adults.
Family physicians recommend a one-time RSV vaccination for adults 75 and older, people ages 50 to 74 who face increased health risks, and younger adults with weakened immune systems.
The vaccine is also recommended during late pregnancy to help protect babies born during RSV season. Pediatricians separately recommend a vaccine-like medication for infants at high risk of severe RSV.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The story is based on guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Infectious Diseases Society of America and American Medical Association. It also cites information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the University of Minnesota’s Vaccine Integrity Project, JAMA, Walgreens and the Associated Press. This story was reported from Los Angeles.