US medical groups issue joint flu and Covid vaccine guidance amid confusion over federal advice
Leading US medical organizations have jointly released fall vaccination guidelines for flu and Covid-19, aiming to cut through confusion caused by the Trump administration's shifting stance on vaccines. Flu, Covid-19 and RSV all pose seasonal risks this winter.
Several major US medical organizations came together on Wednesday to issue joint guidelines on flu and Covid-19 vaccinations ahead of the fall season, as federal guidance on the topic has grown increasingly unclear.
Vaccine recommendations typically come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but over the past year Trump administration health officials have scaled back several longstanding recommendations on fall virus protection and routine childhood vaccination, despite no new scientific evidence prompting the change. The CDC's independent advisory panel, which shapes state and insurance vaccine policy, is currently caught up in a court battle, and the agency did not respond to questions about new fall guidance.
In response, doctors' groups have stepped in: the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America each issued their own recommendations for their patient populations. The American Medical Association is compiling all the guidance, along with safety and effectiveness evidence, on a website called SpreadTheFacts.org, so the public has consistent, science-based information.
The groups agree that nearly everyone aged six months and older should get a flu vaccine, with particular importance for people 65 and older, pregnant women, young children, and those with chronic conditions. The last two flu seasons were unusually severe, with high numbers of child deaths, most among unvaccinated children. While the vaccines don't prevent all infections, they meaningfully reduce severe outcomes, cutting hospitalizations among older adults by 31%.
This year brings new options, including the first mRNA-based flu vaccine for people 50 and older, and a nasal spray, FluMist, for those aged two to 49. Covid-19 vaccines remain formally approved by the FDA only for higher-risk groups, but family physicians recommend vaccination for all adults, especially seniors. Pediatricians recommend Covid-19 vaccination for all children aged six months to 23 months and for older children with high-risk conditions.
Common side-effects for both vaccines are mild and temporary, including sore arms, fatigue and headaches.
