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
Infectious Respiratory Diseases | Vaccines
Holidays Are Better Together
Make your presence the real present at holiday gatherings this winter. Recommended vaccines that protect against respiratory diseases such as flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and pneumococcal disease can help keep you and your loved ones healthy so you can enjoy all the holiday season has to offer.
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.
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
Content on this page is being updated to reflect the FDA’s August 27 approval of the 2026–2027 COVID-19 vaccine formula. Please check back soon.
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.
