Every year, respiratory infections, such as influenza and COVID-19, cause millions of illnesses and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths throughout the United States. The most effective way to prevent these infections is staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and to receive an annual influenza vaccination.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all persons aged ≥6 months who do not have contraindications receive a licensed and age-appropriate seasonal influenza vaccine. With the exception of vaccination for adults aged ≥65 years, ACIP makes no preferential recommendation for a specific vaccine when more than one licensed, recommended, and age-appropriate vaccine is available. ACIP recommends that adults aged ≥65 years preferentially receive any one of the following higher dose or adjuvanted influenza vaccines: quadrivalent high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-IIV4), quadrivalent recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV4), or quadrivalent adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine (aIIV4). If these three vaccines are not available at the time of vaccine administration, then any other age-appropriate influenza vaccine should be used. 1
For most persons who need only 1 dose of influenza vaccine for the season, vaccination should ideally be offered during September or October. However, vaccination should continue after October and throughout the season as long as influenza viruses are circulating, and unexpired vaccine is available. Children aged 6 months through 8 years may require two doses of influenza vaccine to be fully protected for a season. Children that do not receive their second dose may still be at risk from developing illness from influenza infection. 1 Providers are encouraged to communicate the importance of the second dose of influenza vaccine to parents.
ACIP recommends that all persons aged ≥6 months with egg allergy should receive influenza vaccine. Any influenza vaccine (egg based or nonegg based) that is otherwise appropriate for the recipient’s age and health status can be used. It is no longer recommended that persons who have had an allergic reaction to egg involving symptoms other than urticaria should be vaccinated in an inpatient or outpatient medical setting supervised by a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic reactions if an egg-based vaccine is used. Egg allergy alone necessitates no additional safety measures for influenza vaccination beyond those recommended for any recipient of any vaccine, regardless of severity of previous reaction to egg. All vaccines should be administered in settings in which personnel and equipment needed for rapid recognition and treatment of acute hypersensitivity reactions are available. 1
COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying. Compared to people who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, unvaccinated people are more likely to get COVID-19, much more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19, and much more likely to die from COVID-19. As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, you are best protected from COVID-19 when you stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations. 2
CDC recommends the 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax, to protect against serious illness from COVID-19. The 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines more closely targets the XBB lineage of the Omicron variant and could restore protection against severe COVID-19 that may have decreased over time. It is anticipated the updated vaccines will be better at fighting currently circulating variants. 2
ACIP recommends everyone aged 5 years and older should get 1 dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19. Children aged 6 months–4 years need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be up to date, including at least 1 dose of updated COVID-19 vaccine. People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine. There is no preferential recommendation for the use of any one COVID-19 vaccine over another when more than one licensed or authorized, recommended, and age-appropriate vaccine is available. COVID-19 vaccine recommendations will continue to be updated as needed. 2
Protect yourself, your patients and those around you by staying up to date on all ACIP recommended vaccines. For best protection during this respiratory season, ensure your patients are up to date on flu, COVID-19, RSV, pneumococcal and all pertussis containing vaccines.
References
1 Grohskopf LA, Blanton LH, Ferdinands JM, Chung JR, Broder KR, Talbot HK. Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2023–24 Influenza Season. MMWR Recomm Rep 2023;72(No. RR-2):1–25. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr7202a1. 2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2023). Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html#All
Respiratory Virus Season is Upon Us, Protect Yourself with Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccines
Alyssa Strouse, MPH, MDHHS Division of Immunization
Every year, respiratory infections, such as influenza and COVID-19, cause millions of illnesses and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths throughout the United States. The most effective way to prevent these infections is staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and to receive an annual influenza vaccination.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all persons aged ≥6 months who do not have contraindications receive a licensed and age-appropriate seasonal influenza vaccine. With the exception of vaccination for adults aged ≥65 years, ACIP makes no preferential recommendation for a specific vaccine when more than one licensed, recommended, and age-appropriate vaccine is available. ACIP recommends that adults aged ≥65 years preferentially receive any one of the following higher dose or adjuvanted influenza vaccines: quadrivalent high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-IIV4), quadrivalent recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV4), or quadrivalent adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine (aIIV4). If these three vaccines are not available at the time of vaccine administration, then any other age-appropriate influenza vaccine should be used. 1
For most persons who need only 1 dose of influenza vaccine for the season, vaccination should ideally be offered during September or October. However, vaccination should continue after October and throughout the season as long as influenza viruses are circulating, and unexpired vaccine is available. Children aged 6 months through 8 years may require two doses of influenza vaccine to be fully protected for a season. Children that do not receive their second dose may still be at risk from developing illness from influenza infection. 1 Providers are encouraged to communicate the importance of the second dose of influenza vaccine to parents.
ACIP recommends that all persons aged ≥6 months with egg allergy should receive influenza vaccine. Any influenza vaccine (egg based or nonegg based) that is otherwise appropriate for the recipient’s age and health status can be used. It is no longer recommended that persons who have had an allergic reaction to egg involving symptoms other than urticaria should be vaccinated in an inpatient or outpatient medical setting supervised by a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic reactions if an egg-based vaccine is used. Egg allergy alone necessitates no additional safety measures for influenza vaccination beyond those recommended for any recipient of any vaccine, regardless of severity of previous reaction to egg. All vaccines should be administered in settings in which personnel and equipment needed for rapid recognition and treatment of acute hypersensitivity reactions are available. 1
COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying. Compared to people who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, unvaccinated people are more likely to get COVID-19, much more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19, and much more likely to die from COVID-19. As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, you are best protected from COVID-19 when you stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations. 2
CDC recommends the 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax, to protect against serious illness from COVID-19. The 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines more closely targets the XBB lineage of the Omicron variant and could restore protection against severe COVID-19 that may have decreased over time. It is anticipated the updated vaccines will be better at fighting currently circulating variants. 2
ACIP recommends everyone aged 5 years and older should get 1 dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19. Children aged 6 months–4 years need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be up to date, including at least 1 dose of updated COVID-19 vaccine. People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine. There is no preferential recommendation for the use of any one COVID-19 vaccine over another when more than one licensed or authorized, recommended, and age-appropriate vaccine is available. COVID-19 vaccine recommendations will continue to be updated as needed. 2
Protect yourself, your patients and those around you by staying up to date on all ACIP recommended vaccines. For best protection during this respiratory season, ensure your patients are up to date on flu, COVID-19, RSV, pneumococcal and all pertussis containing vaccines.
References
1 Grohskopf LA, Blanton LH, Ferdinands JM, Chung JR, Broder KR, Talbot HK. Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2023–24 Influenza Season. MMWR Recomm Rep 2023;72(No. RR-2):1–25. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr7202a1. 2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2023). Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html#All
