This summer, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended new vaccines for the fall and winter to protect against respiratory diseases. Here’s what has changed: People aged 75 and older should be vaccinated against RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), the COVID-19 vaccine will target a new strain, and the updated flu shot will include only three strains instead of the four included in last year’s vaccine
“Our top recommendation for protecting yourself and your loved ones from respiratory illness is to get vaccinated,” CDC Director Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, said in a statement. “Make a plan now for you and your family to get both updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall, ahead of the respiratory virus season.”
We’ll cover what vaccines you might need, how they differ from previous ones, and when it’s best to get them.
RSV vaccination
Older adults and infants are most vulnerable to RSV, and last year vaccines became available for the first time for seniors. The CDC’s advisory committee previously recommended that everyone aged 60 and over discuss with their doctors whether they should get the RSV shot. This year, they extended their guidance, recommending vaccination for people aged 75 and older.
For those aged 60 to 74, vaccination is recommended only if they didn’t get the shot last year and are at higher risk for RSV. The RSV vaccine is not currently an annual shot.
However, it is not recommended for younger people. Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved GSK’s RSV vaccine for adults aged 50 and older, but the CDC committee declined to recommend it for this age group due to concerns about the risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a condition where the immune system attacks the nerves.
Although the incidence of the syndrome among vaccinated people is low, the risk of severe RSV in younger adults is also low, so the risk-benefit ratio currently does not favor vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccination
The CDC recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older receive the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine. This applies to both those who have been vaccinated before and those who have recovered from COVID-19, as immunity wanes over time and vaccines provide protection against new strains.
According to the CDC, over 916,300 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19 in 2023, and more than 75,500 people died from it. The data shows that the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 remains high for seniors, especially those aged 75 and older, who account for most hospitalizations and deaths. Younger people are at greater risk if they have underlying health conditions.
The FDA approved updated mRNA vaccines for Moderna and Pfizer on August 22, 2024, with availability expected soon, though the Novavax vaccine has not yet been approved.
“These updated vaccines meet the agency’s rigorous, scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality,” Peter Marks, MD, PhD, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, says in a statement. “Given waning immunity of the population from previous exposure to the virus and from prior vaccination, we strongly encourage those who are eligible to consider receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants.”
Flu vaccination
As expected, the committee unanimously voted to recommend the updated seasonal flu vaccine for everyone aged 6 months and older. This can reduce the risk of flu illness and potentially serious complications. Most people will need just one shot per year, but some children aged 6 months to 8 years may need two doses.
The CDC has confirmed that the 2024-2025 flu vaccines will be trivalent, protecting against H1N1, H3N2, and B/Victoria viruses. The vaccine this season has been updated with a new A(H3N2) flu virus.
When should you get vaccinated?
Ideally, you should get vaccinated before cases begin to rise in your area, though it’s hard to predict exactly when that will happen since flu spreads differently in various parts of the country. This year, the CDC has marked October 5 as the start of flu surveillance season. Experts suggest that most people should get vaccinated between mid-September and the end of October.
In general, immunity peaks about one to two weeks after getting the flu shot. After the peak, protection lasts for five or six months, usually enough to cover the flu season, which runs from October through March or April. There are some exceptions to these guidelines. For example, pregnant women in their third trimester should get vaccinated now to provide flu immunity for their newborns.
Some children aged 6 months to 8 years need two flu shots spaced four weeks apart. This applies to children who have never received a flu vaccine, only had one dose, or have an unknown vaccination history. Experts say that for young children, the initial two-dose regimen provides the best immune response to flu. According to Alicia Budd, head of the CDC’s flu group at the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, children who require two doses can get their first shot now.
Can you get multiple vaccines at once?
Yes, you can (and the CDC even recommends) getting both the COVID-19 vaccine or booster and the flu shot at the same time to get ahead of the seasonal surge of viral illnesses.
In this case, side effects won’t differ much from the typical post-flu shot standards. Studies have shown that people who received both the flu shot and the monovalent COVID-19 vaccine simultaneously were slightly more likely to experience reactions like fatigue, headache, and muscle pain than those who only received the COVID-19 vaccine, but these reactions were generally mild and resolved quickly.
