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
Vaccines | Infectious Respiratory Diseases
Posters: Life Doesn’t Paws When You’re Sick
Vaccines against respiratory illnesses can help you stay on the ball.
Healthy Holidays Start Now: Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones
The holiday season is a time for gathering with family and friends, but it’s also the time of year when flu, COVID-19, pneumococcal disease, and RSV spread most easily. Don’t let “sick season” ruin your holiday season. Getting vaccinated is a simple step that helps protect you from serious illness, so you don’t miss out on memories that make the holidays special.
Last Updated10/14/2025
Healthy Holidays Start Now: Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones
Dr. James Bigham, a pediatrician at the University of Wisconsin, emphasizes that vaccines are proven to reduce the risk of severe illness—not only protecting your family but also strengthening the health of your entire community.
Last Updated09/04/2025
The Risks are Real: Dr. Catherine DeAngelis
Vaccines | Infectious Respiratory Diseases
The Risks are Real: Dr. Catherine DeAngelis
Dr. Catherine DeAngelis, University Distinguished Service Professor Emerita at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine discusses the importance of helping to prevent the serious side effects of respiratory illness through vaccination.
National Immunization Awareness Month: What to Know About Vaccines for a Healthier Fall & Winter
Last Updated08/27/2025
August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), a time for us to recognize the critical role vaccination plays in helping prevent serious illness from infectious respiratory diseases. This annual observance highlights the importance of staying up to date with vaccines at all ages, especially as we approach the fall and winter respiratory season.
CVEEP hosted an expert-led discussion on the recent shifts to the federal vaccine landscape, what experts are anticipating ahead of the 2025/2026 respiratory season, and the potential impact of these changes on access and uptake this fall. Providers and public health experts explained the importance of staying up to date on vaccinations for infectious respiratory diseases and broke down the latest vaccine recommendations and guidance — offering insights into which vaccines are needed to stay protected throughout the fall and winter.
Panelists included:
Dr. Jen Brull, President, American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
Dr. William Schaffner, Spokesperson, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID)
Moderator:Karyne Jones, President and CEO, NCBA, Inc.
Infectious Respiratory Diseases | Vaccines
The Risks are Real: Dr. Robert Frenck
Dr. Robert Frenck emphasizes that preventing severe respiratory illness—especially through vaccination—is one of the most effective ways to help keep children healthy and protected.
Last Updated08/18/2025
Vaccines | Infectious Respiratory Diseases
A Guide to Different Types of Immunity
An overview of the different types of immunity — including innate, active, and passive — and the distinct and important roles they each play in helping the body prevent or fight off disease.
