{"id":618615,"date":"2026-09-08T21:44:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T21:44:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/618615\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T21:44:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T21:44:31","slug":"top-medical-groups-reaffirm-vaccination-during-flu-covid-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/618615\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Medical Groups Reaffirm Vaccination During Flu, COVID Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"FemaleShare on Pinterest<\/a>Four medical groups released recommendations for the 2026\u20132027 respiratory virus season ahead of the CDC. FatCamera\/E+\/Getty ImagesThe CDC has not yet issued new COVID-19 or RSV recommendations for the 2026\u20132027 season and has instead carried over last year\u2019s flu guidance.Four medical groups released their own recommendations in September, each covering a different population: children, adults, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems.All four groups recommend a flu shot for everyone 6 months and older, and their COVID and RSV advice varies by age and risk.Vaccinations are available at major pharmacies across the United States.<\/p>\n

Pediatricians are turning to major medical organizations rather than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for guidance on vaccines for the fall and winter respiratory virus season<\/a>, which runs from October through mid-May.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because the CDC\u2019s vaccine advisory committee \u2014 the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) \u2014 hasn\u2019t issued new COVID-19 or RSV recommendations this season. Instead, the agency has only carried over last year\u2019s flu guidance<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Despite the lack of CDC guidance, four top medical groups have released recommendations for the 2026\u20132027 respiratory virus season on September 2, each covering a different group of patients: <\/p>\n

The review found the vaccines continue to protect against severe illness, hospitalization, and death, and identified no new safety concerns, according to the AMA.<\/p>\n

The people who wrote this season\u2019s recommendations are \u201cin some cases the same experts or the same kinds of experts that would have informed the CDC,\u201d said Benjamin Lopman<\/a>, PhD, professor of epidemiology and global health at Emory University\u2019s Rollins School of Public Health.<\/p>\n

COVID<\/a> and RSV recommendations<\/a> vary by age and risk. Flu, COVID, and RSV shots are already available at major pharmacy chains.<\/p>\n

Flu vaccine<\/p>\n

Everyone 6 months and older.Some children need two doses<\/a>, given about a month apart.Adults 65 and older should get an enhanced flu vaccine \u2014 high dose, adjuvanted, recombinant or mRNA \u2014 when one is available, but shouldn\u2019t delay vaccination to find one.<\/p>\n

COVID-19 vaccine<\/p>\n

All adults 19 and older.Adults 65 and older should get two doses each season, the second six months after the firstChildren 6 through 23 months.Children and teens 2 through 18 who are at higher risk of severe illness, or whose parents want them protected.Anyone pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or nursing.<\/p>\n

RSV shot<\/p>\n

One dose for adults 75 and older, and for adults 50 to 74 at increased risk.One dose during pregnancy.A preventive antibody shot for infants under 8 months or entering their first RSV season<\/a> who didn\u2019t receive protection during pregnancy, and for some children up to 19 months with certain health conditions.<\/p>\n

The CDC\u2019s flu vaccination guidance page<\/a>, updated September 1, points to an interim document and notes that updates \u201care forthcoming.\u201d <\/p>\n

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an mRNA flu vaccine<\/a> for adults 50 and older in August, the first of its kind. <\/p>\n

\u201cChildren 6 months and older should get a seasonal flu vaccine<\/a> near the start of flu season<\/a>, usually in September or October,\u201d said Andi Shane<\/a>, MD, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta. <\/p>\n

A flu shot \u201ccan help lower a child\u2019s risk of serious illness, hospitalization, and complications like pneumonia <\/a>or dehydration,\u201d Shane told Healthline.<\/p>\n

Graham Tse<\/a>, MD, chief medical officer of MemorialCare Miller Children\u2019s & Women\u2019s Hospital in Long Beach, CA., said that respiratory viruses usually start circulating around this time. <\/p>\n

\u201cGetting a shot now or in the next month or two is optimal, though there is benefit to receiving the vaccines through the season into the spring if you did not receive a vaccine earlier,\u201d he told Healthline.<\/p>\n

The CDC hasn\u2019t issued new COVID vaccine recommendations for this season. <\/p>\n

The CDC\u2019s most recent guidance, from last year, advises consulting with a healthcare professional rather than recommending vaccination.<\/p>\n

The vaccines themselves cleared a different process. The FDA approved updated shots<\/a> on August 27, reformulated to match the variants currently circulating<\/a>. Its vaccine advisory committee, which is separate from the CDC panel, met in May to select this year\u2019s strain.<\/p>\n

Having had COVID before doesn\u2019t change the recommendation, Shane said. The virus changes over time, and a child who had it last year \u201cmay not be well protected against the strains spreading now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since 1964, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has reviewed the evidence<\/a> and set the vaccine recommendations most American doctors follow. <\/p>\n

That was disrupted last year when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) dismissed ACIP\u2019s members<\/a> and appointed replacements.<\/p>\n

Despite a successful court challenge<\/a> in March, an expert-led ACIP has not been restored.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe science is as strong as ever,\u201d Lopman told Healthline. \u201cWhat\u2019s changed is that CDC and the ACIP have not been there to provide the evidence-based guidance.\u201d<\/p>\n

The absence of a single federal voice \u201ccan create confusion for parents when there\u2019s a lot of misinformation out there already about vaccines,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has made doctors\u2019 work more difficult,\u201d Tse said. Parents are declining vaccines more often, he said, and doctors are spending more time explaining and defending the science behind them.<\/p>\n

Healthline contacted HHS for this article and did not receive a response.<\/p>\n

Shane said that her recommendation to families is to continue following the AAP-endorsed vaccine schedule<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She suggests parents come in with specific questions: Is my child eligible? When should they get it? Does their age, health history, or contact with someone at higher risk change what\u2019s recommended?<\/p>\n

\u201cPediatricians are there to help families understand the options and make decisions that feel right for their child,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

For now, the societies are covering the work the federal government isn\u2019t. \u201cI think we can fill that gap for a while,\u201d Lopman said. \u201cBut I think it\u2019s really important that ACIP\u2026 is reestablished.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Share on PinterestFour medical groups released recommendations for the 2026\u20132027 respiratory virus season ahead of the CDC. FatCamera\/E+\/Getty…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":618616,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[103,61,60],"class_list":["post-618615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=618615"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618615\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/618616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=618615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=618615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=618615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}