Medical societies issue coordinated fall vaccine guidance

Four major national medical societies—the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America—have issued coordinated vaccination recommendations for the fall season. The guidance covers influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for all age groups, from newborns to adults over 75.

These recommendations arrive as federal guidance from the CDC lags. The CDC has not yet issued new COVID-19 or RSV recommendations for the 2026-2027 season, partly because a court ruling has prevented its vaccine advisory committee from maintaining a functioning quorum.

Notably, the medical groups and New York State health departments are recommending COVID-19 vaccinations for all adults, whereas the FDA has approved the updated vaccine specifically for individuals aged 65 and older or those at high risk for severe illness. The medical societies also suggest a second dose of the updated vaccine for adults 65 and older, administered six months after the first, to maintain immunity.