As respiratory virus season intensifies, experts advise urgent vaccination efforts for flu, Covid-19, and RSV, with updated guidelines targeting vulnerable groups amid evolving federal advice.
Respiratory virus season is beginning to gather pace, and public health experts say autumn is the point at which many families should think seriously about protection against flu, Covid-19 and RSV.
The risk is already starting to show in some places. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says national flu activity remains low, but health officials in Washington state’s King County have reported a rise in emergency department visits for influenza since mid-August. Vaccines for all three major respiratory viruses are now widely available, and insurers have told several medical groups that they expect to cover them.
The guidance this year has been complicated by changes at federal level. According to reports cited by CNN, the CDC has posted advice that broadly follows last year’s flu and Covid-19 recommendations after turmoil involving its vaccine advisory process. In response, the American Medical Association and the University of Minnesota’s Vaccine Integrity Project carried out independent reviews that were published in JAMA and helped shape updated recommendations from groups including 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.
For RSV, the advice is aimed at older adults, pregnant people, infants and some people with weakened immune systems. The American Academy of Family Physicians says adults aged 75 and older should receive one dose, while those aged 50 and above with certain high-risk conditions should also be vaccinated. The shot is not annual; people who have already had it do not need another dose this season. During pregnancy, the vaccine is recommended in the third trimester, between weeks 32 and 36, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has extended its window for the maternal RSV vaccine Abrysvo from September 1 to March 1. For babies younger than eight months, guidance calls for an RSV monoclonal antibody unless the mother was vaccinated during pregnancy.
Flu vaccination remains recommended for everyone aged six months and older. Health professionals say the best time to get the jab is October, before protection starts to taper later in the season. Adults aged 65 and older are advised to seek out a higher-dose, adjuvanted or recombinant flu vaccine when available, but should not delay if that option is not on hand. For the first time, an mRNA flu vaccine is also available for adults 50 and older. Pregnant people are advised to avoid the nasal spray flu vaccine and instead receive an inactivated or recombinant version, which experts say can also help pass some protection to the baby.
Covid-19 vaccination is again being recommended for adults, with particular emphasis on people aged 65 and older, those who are immunocompromised and anyone who has not previously been vaccinated. The updated shots from Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Novavax are intended to match more recent strains, and experts say protection is strongest in the first few months after vaccination. Health officials also advise waiting around four to six months after a recent Covid infection before getting the updated dose. For pregnant people, the vaccine is still recommended, with obstetric specialists stressing that the evidence does not show an increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, small-for-gestational-age birth or birth defects.
The wider message from clinicians is straightforward: respiratory viruses are returning, and vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to lower the risk of serious illness, hospitalisation and disruption later in the season. For parents, older adults and people with underlying health conditions, the practical advice is to act now rather than wait for infections to rise further.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
