Leading U.S. medical groups issued updated COVID, flu and RSV vaccine recommendations on Wednesday, telling people to get fall shots as federal advice remains unsettled. The guidance starts with flu vaccination at 6 months and points older adults, pregnant women, young children and people with chronic health problems toward prompt protection.
Dr. Sandra Fryhofer of the American Medical Association said, "There's been a lot of confusion and chaos regarding vaccine recommendations," and added that the goal was to give "the public has clear, consistent, science-based guidance even while the federal process is in flux,". The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Infectious Diseases Society of America each released guidance for their patient populations.
American Academy of Family Physicians
The societies agreed that just about everybody starting at age 6 months needs flu vaccination. They also singled out people 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and people of any age with asthma, diabetes, heart disease or weak immune systems as especially at risk for serious illness.
Dr. Sarah Nosal of the American Academy of Family Physicians said seniors should choose one of the enhanced flu vaccines, "but do not delay your vaccination if that one's not available,". Three enhanced flu vaccines are designed to better protect seniors, and the Food and Drug Administration approved this year's updated flu and COVID-19 vaccine versions last week.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The timing matters because flu vaccinations are starting and COVID-19 shots are beginning to arrive while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not issued new fall guidance. Instead, the CDC suggested on its website that doctors follow last year's flu recommendations, even as the medical groups released new ones.
A Vaccine Integrity Project analysis published Wednesday in JAMA said older adults' hospitalizations decreased by 31%. The same day, Moderna's mFlusiva was found in one study to be 27% more effective against symptomatic illness among 50- to 64-year-olds than a standard shot.
The FDA also approved the new mRNA flu vaccine option this year for people ages 50 and older, while FluMist can be used by people ages 2 to 49 who meet other health criteria. For patients trying to sort through the fall vaccine lineup, the practical move is to use the age-based guidance already issued by the medical groups rather than wait for federal clarity that has not yet arrived.
