This respiratory illness season, families in communities around the country face vaccine-preventable diseases that can cause serious illness in children — from the flu, COVID-19, whooping cough, pneumococcal disease, and RSV, to measles. Meanwhile, recent data show that vaccination rates in children continue to decline, leaving them more vulnerable and susceptible to severe illness.
Given this landscape, many parents and caregivers have questions about pediatric vaccines, including access through the federal Vaccines for Children program. This is a critical moment for vaccine champions to reinforce focus on pediatric vaccine uptake and strategies that help protect against severe respiratory illness.
Experts in pediatric care, public health, and vaccine policy discussed the critical role that respiratory vaccines play in keeping children safe and practical tools for supporting childhood vaccination during respiratory illness season and beyond.
Panelists included:
Michelle Fiscus, MD, FAAP, Chief Medical Officer, Association of Immunization Managers (AIM)
James Campbell, MD, MS, Vice Chair, Committee on Infectious Diseases (COID), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Moderator: Stacy Buchanan, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, Chair, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) Immunization Special Interest Group
Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider or Pharmacist About COVID-19 and Flu Treatments
This guide can help you talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or another health care provider. Asking questions now can help you know what treatments are available and how to get them if you do get sick.
Last Updated11/25/2025
Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider or Pharmacist About COVID-19 and Flu Treatments
Symptom, Test, Treat, Recover: COVID-19 and Flu Antivirals
COVID-19 and flu don’t have to mean severe illness. Antiviral treatments can help stop these viruses from multiplying and keep you from feeling worse—but timing matters.
Last Updated11/25/2025
Symptom, Test, Treat, Recover: COVID-19 and Flu Antivirals
Dr. Emily Kryger, owner of PharmRecs LLC and a board certified geriatric pharmacist, discusses the impact that respiratory diseases have had on the population she cares for — and how vaccines have helped protect against severe illness.
Paola German, a family nurse practitioner at the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, discussed how respiratory illnesses can quickly turn from mild to serious without the help of vaccines.
FAQ: Respiratory Vaccine Appointments for Patients 50+
Respiratory season is here, and depending on your age and health status, it may be recommended for you to get vaccinations for flu, COVID-19, RSV, or pneumococcal infection. The below FAQ can serve as a starting place as you make your vaccine appointments and take steps to stay healthy.
Last Updated10/17/2025
FAQ: Respiratory Vaccine Appointments for Patients 50+
Coverage, Access, and ACIP Recommendations: What Consumers Should Know about Respiratory Vaccines Heading into Fall
Last Updated10/15/2025
Recent changes to recommendations for respiratory vaccines have left patients and providers with pressing questions about vaccine access and coverage. Following its most recent meeting in September, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended COVID-19 vaccines for those 6 months and older based on “individual decision-making.” This change in recommendation illuminated the need for stakeholders to have clarity on the impact of ACIP recommendations on respiratory vaccine insurance coverage.
CVEEP hosted a timely discussion on this topic as experts in healthcare coverage, public health, and vaccine policy broke down the relationship between ACIP recommendations and coverage among different types of insurance plans, what to expect at your vaccination appointments this year, and how to advocate for yourself as a patient seeking fall vaccines.
Panelists included:
Chris Regal, MS, Director of Clinical Innovation, AHIP
Margot Savoy, MD, MPH,Chief Medical Officer, American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
Allison Hill, PharmD, RPh, Director of Professional Affairs, American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
Moderator: Serese Marotta, Deputy CEO, Vaccinate Your Family
Your Fall Vaccine Visit: What to Expect and How to Prepare
During respiratory season, recommended vaccines are especially important, particularly among individuals aged 50 and older, to protect against serious illness caused by respiratory diseases such as flu, COVID-19, pneumococcal disease, and RSV. Getting vaccinated this fall is one of the simplest ways to stay healthy and protect the people around you.
Last Updated10/14/2025
Your Fall Vaccine Visit: What to Expect and How to Prepare
Seasonal Spike: What to Do If You Get COVID-19 This Summer
Last Updated05/29/2025
As public health experts anticipate a rise in COVID-19 infections this summer, ensuring access to antiviral treatments for older adults and those with existing health conditions that make them vulnerable to serious illness is more important than ever.
CVEEP held a briefing featuring leading healthcare voices for an in-depth discussion on the current treatment landscape, highlighting the essential role antivirals play in preventing severe illness and hospitalization. The conversation explored key barriers to access, including under-prescription, cost, and insurance coverage, as well as strategies to raise awareness, improve uptake, and ensure that vulnerable populations can receive these life-saving treatments without delay.
Panelists included:
Dr. Amesh Adalja, Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
Dr. Chad Worz, PharmD, CEO, American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)
