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Medical groups recommend flu vaccination for nearly everyone age 6 months and older, and experts say October is a good time to get it before influenza spreads widely. Flu shots do not prevent every infection, but they can reduce the risk of severe outcomes; updated COVID-19 vaccines and RSV protection are also available for groups recommended to receive them.
Medical experts are urging people to get a flu shot in October, before influenza spreads widely, with major medical societies recommending vaccination for nearly everyone age 6 months and older. Updated COVID-19 vaccines and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) protection are also available for groups advised to receive them, as doctors’ organizations provide guidance while federal recommendations remain unchanged.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Infectious Diseases Society of America have issued vaccination guidance for the patients they serve, along with supporting evidence. The guidance comes as the CDC has not updated its advice and its independent vaccine advisory panel is involved in a court battle, according to the source report. The panel influences state and insurance vaccine policies.
Flu vaccination is recommended for people starting at 6 months old, with particular concern for adults 65 and older, pregnant people, young children, and people with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease, or weakened immune systems. Experts say October is a good time because it takes about two weeks for protection to build. Vaccination remains available later in the fall.
Several flu vaccine options are available, including three enhanced vaccines intended for older adults. The AAFP advises seniors to choose one of those options when available, but not to delay vaccination if they cannot get it. The FDA has also approved Moderna’s mFlusiva, an mRNA flu vaccine for people 50 and older. A study cited in the report found it was 27% more effective against symptomatic flu than a standard shot among adults ages 50 to 64. FluMist nasal spray is an option for some people ages 2 to 49.
Protection Before Flu Spreads
The timing matters because flu vaccination takes time to build protection, while infections can lead to more than several days of illness. The source report says influenza causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths in the United States each year. Vaccines do not block every infection, but the evidence cited points to reduced risk of severe disease: the Vaccine Integrity Project reported that flu vaccination decreased older adults’ hospitalizations by 31% last year.
Ryan Stanton, an emergency physician with the American College of Emergency Physicians, compared vaccination to a seat belt: it is not a guarantee against illness, he said, but it decreases the risk of the worst outcomes. That distinction is important for people weighing vaccination: the reported benefit is chiefly protection against serious consequences, not a promise that infection will be prevented.
Vaccination decisions also extend beyond flu. COVID-19 can rise again around the winter holidays, according to the report, and RSV can be dangerous for infants and older adults even though it often causes cold-like symptoms. The available products and recommendations differ by age, health status, and location, so readers may need to check eligibility and access with a health professional or pharmacy.
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Guidance Amid Federal Uncertainty
In previous years, fall vaccine advice typically came from the CDC and its independent advisory panel. The source report says the panel is now caught in a court dispute and the CDC has not updated its advice. In response, four medical organizations have published recommendations and the evidence behind them for their patient populations. Their guidance does not amount to a new CDC recommendation.
COVID-19 vaccine recommendations are not identical across organizations. The FDA has formally approved the updated shots for people at higher risk, including adults 65 and older and younger people with at least one risk-raising health condition. The AAFP recommends vaccination for all adults, especially seniors and people with risk factors. The AAP recommends a shot for children ages 6 months to 23 months and older children at high risk, and supports vaccination for any child whose parent wants it.
RSV vaccination is aimed at selected groups rather than everyone. The family physicians’ guidance cited in the report recommends a one-time dose for adults 75 and older, people ages 50 to 74 at increased risk, and some younger people with weakened immune systems. The supplied source text ends while describing RSV recommendations in pregnancy, so it does not provide enough detail to report that guidance fully.
“Vaccination isn’t “a guarantee that we’re going to prevent illness. But just like the seat belt in your car, it decreases risk” of the worst outcomes.”
— Ryan Stanton, MD, of the American College of Emergency Physicians
nasal spray flu vaccine for children
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Eligibility and Evidence Gaps
Federal guidance remains unsettled in the account provided: the CDC has not updated its recommendations, and the advisory panel’s court dispute is ongoing. The report does not state when that dispute will be resolved or when the CDC may revise its advice.
Access and eligibility for COVID-19 shots can vary by state, pharmacy, age, and product. Walgreens, for example, says it provides COVID-19 vaccination without a prescription in all but Arizona and Oregon, while minimum ages also vary by state. Insurance coverage for the new mFlusiva vaccine may need to be checked. The source says Medicare covers fall shots and most private insurers plan to continue coverage through 2027, but individual coverage can differ.
The source material does not give a complete account of RSV recommendations: its final sentence is cut off while discussing vaccination during pregnancy. It also does not provide the full methods or study details behind the reported vaccine effectiveness figures. Those figures should be understood within the groups and outcomes specified, not as guarantees for every person.
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Check Local Access This Fall
People considering fall vaccination can check with a clinician, pediatrician, or pharmacy about which products are recommended for their age and health circumstances, and whether an appointment or prescription is required. People considering mFlusiva may want to confirm insurance coverage before booking. Experts advise allowing about two weeks for flu protection to develop, while vaccination remains available through the fall.
Medical groups may update their guidance as federal advice, evidence, and access rules change. For now, the report’s practical message is to avoid waiting for a preferred flu vaccine if another appropriate option is available, and to ask a qualified health professional about COVID-19 and RSV recommendations that apply to individual circumstances.
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Key Questions
Why are experts recommending flu vaccination in October?
Experts say October is a good time to get vaccinated before flu spreads widely. It takes about two weeks for protection to build, though vaccination remains available later in the fall.
Who is advised to get a flu vaccine?
The medical societies cited recommend flu vaccination for nearly everyone age 6 months and older. Adults 65 and older, pregnant people, young children, and people with certain chronic conditions or weakened immune systems are at particular risk of severe flu.
Does a flu shot prevent every case of flu?
No. The report says flu vaccines do not prevent every infection. Evidence cited in it indicates they can reduce severe outcomes; the Vaccine Integrity Project reported a 31% decrease in older adults’ flu hospitalizations last year.
Can flu and COVID-19 vaccines be obtained at pharmacies?
Pharmacies are among the most common locations for COVID-19 vaccination, and many also offer flu shots. COVID-19 pharmacy rules and age limits vary by state, so check with a local pharmacy or health professional about availability and eligibility.
Who should ask about RSV vaccination?
The family physicians’ guidance cited recommends a one-time RSV vaccine for adults 75 and older, people ages 50 to 74 at increased risk, and some younger people with weakened immune systems. The supplied report text cuts off during its discussion of pregnancy-related guidance, so it does not establish the full recommendation for that group.
Source: rss
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