The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that vaccination plans people adopt throughout the fall and winter include both updated influenza and COVID-19 vaccines.
Public health officials noted that giving both vaccines at the same time is safe and can prevent severe outcomes from both diseases, including hospitalization and death. The annual toll from the two diseases is enormous, with more than 916,300 Americans hospitalized due to COVID-19 in 2023 and more than 75,500 dying from the infection. Just under 45,000 people died from influenza complications in the 2023-24 flu season.
COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
The CDC said updated COVID-19 vaccines will be available from Moderna, Novavax and Pfizer. The vaccines are recommended for everyone over the age of 6 months. As COVID-19 mutates over time, protection will weaken. The public health agency said the updated vaccines “can restore and enhance protection against the viral variants that currently cause the majority of infections and hospitalizations in the United States,” as well as reduce the chance of developing long COVID-19.
“To date, hundreds of millions of people have safely received a COVID-19 vaccine under the most rigorous vaccine safety monitoring in U.S. history,” according to the news release.
What about the flu vaccine?
The best time to get the flu vaccine is in September and October, when everyone over the age of 6 months should get it, with rare exceptions, according to the CDC. Most people only need one dose of the flu vaccine during flu season, but getting the vaccine in July and August is generally not recommended, with some exceptions.
Exceptions include women in the later stages of pregnancy who should be vaccinated to protect their babies, women who are too young to get vaccinated themselves, and children who need two doses. It’s a good idea to get the first dose of a new vaccine as soon as it becomes available.
The CDC also said earlier vaccination “may be considered” for children who are undergoing medical care and may not be able to return for a vaccination at a later date.
The CDC says two high-risk groups — people 65 and older and those in their early or late stages of pregnancy — should wait to get vaccinated unless they have an opportunity to do so in September and October.
Influenza vaccines are designed to protect against H1N1, H3N2 and B/Victoria lineage viruses.
“Our number one recommendation for protecting yourself and your loved ones from respiratory illness is to get vaccinated. Make plans for you and your family to get both up-to-date flu and COVID vaccines this fall, before respiratory virus season hits,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a written statement.