Vaccines: Guidelines & Recommendations

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Vaccines offer our best protection against severe illness from respiratory diseases.

Vaccines help protect against more than 20 life-threatening diseases—including infectious respiratory diseases. For decades, vaccines have saved millions of lives and greatly reduced the spread of deadly diseases all over the world. Staying up to date with recommended vaccines is the best way to help protect yourself, those you love, and your community from infectious respiratory disease. Learn more about the vaccines available to protect against infectious respiratory disease.

COVID-19

Who should get a COVID-19 vaccine?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccines for individuals who are:

6 months to 64 years of age with at least one underlying health condition that increases the risk of severe illness from COVID-19
65 years and older

Different vaccines are available for different age groups, beginning at 6 months of age.

Many people have underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk of severe COVID-19 illness. The CDC has not yet issued recommendations for 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccines. Talk to your healthcare provider about what’s right for you.

Learn more about underlying medical conditions that may put you at greater risk of severe illness.

Private insurance plans, Medicare, and many state Medicaid plans have indicated they will continue to cover COVID-19 vaccines but check with your insurance plan to make sure you are covered.

What COVID-19 vaccines are available?
Three COVID-19 vaccines are available in the U.S., including two mRNA vaccine options (Moderna and Pfizer) and one protein-based vaccine option (Novavax-Sanofi).

Many pharmacies offer a range of vaccines. Visit CVEEP’s Vaccine Locator tool to find places near you that offer vaccines.

Learn More About COVID-19

Influenza (Flu)

Who needs to be protected?
Everyone is vulnerable to the flu virus, and the best way to help prevent severe illness from the flu is to get vaccinated. Flu vaccines are recommended for people 6 months and older, including pregnant women, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and leading medical societies.

Flu vaccination does not require a prescription and healthcare providers (e.g., doctors, nurses, pharmacists) can help answer questions. Flu vaccines should be available at local pharmacies but call ahead to make sure they are available.

Flu vaccines are covered at no cost by both public (Medicaid, Medicare, and TRICARE) and private insurance, including employer-sponsored insurance.

For complete flu vaccine recommendations for children, adults, and during pregnancy, please visit:

What flu vaccines are available?
Several types of flu vaccines are available. Approved options include inactivated injectable, recombinant injectable, live attenuated nasal spray, high-dose, mRNA, and adjuvanted flu vaccines.

Depending on your age and health status, you may be recommended to receive a particular type of flu vaccine. For example, certain types of flu vaccines are recommended for older adults, pregnant women, and individuals with certain health conditions, so talk with a healthcare provider to choose the right option for you.

Learn More About Influenza (Flu)

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Who needs to be protected?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and leading medical societies recommend that everyone — including infants, children, preteens, adults, and pregnant women — stay up to date with whooping cough vaccines.

Because whooping cough is particularly dangerous for babies, vaccines are important for anyone who is around babies, including parents, siblings, grandparents, caregivers, and friends of the family.

For complete vaccine recommendations for children, adults, and during pregnancy, please visit:

What whooping cough vaccines are available?
There are two types of combination vaccines available to protect individuals from whooping cough and the vaccine you receive depends on age. Children younger than 7 years of age receive DTaP, while older children and adults receive Tdap. DTaP and Tdap vaccines also protect against diphtheria (“d”) and tetanus (“t”).

Learn More About Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

Pneumococcal Disease

Who needs to be protected?
The best way to help prevent severe illness from pneumococcal disease is to get vaccinated. You can receive a pneumococcal vaccine at any time of year, and at the same time as other vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and leading medical societies recommend the following groups stay up to date with pneumococcal vaccines:

All children younger than 5 years
All adults 50 years or older

Pneumococcal vaccines are also recommended for some children and adults with certain risk conditions.

Children ages 2 – 18 may need pneumococcal vaccines beyond the routine childhood series depending on age, vaccination history, and risk condition (e.g., chronic heart, liver, kidney, and lung disease [including some cases of asthma], weakened immune systems, and cochlear implants).
Adults 19 – 49 may be recommended to receive pneumococcal vaccines depending on vaccination history and risk condition (e.g., chronic heart, liver, kidney and lung disease, diabetes, and cigarette smoking).

The number and type of pneumococcal vaccines you may need depend on your age, health conditions, and which pneumococcal vaccines you have already received.

For complete pneumococcal disease vaccine recommendations, please visit:

What vaccine options are available?
There are two types of pneumococcal vaccines – pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines (PPSVs) . Depending on your age, health status, and vaccination history, you may be recommended to receive a particular type of pneumococcal vaccine, so talk with a healthcare provider to choose the right option for you.

Learn More About Pneumococcal Disease

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Who needs to be protected?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and leading medical societies recommend the following protection against RSV for the following groups:

Infants and young children
- Either maternal RSV vaccination or infant immunization to help prevent severe illness from RSV in infants and young children.
  - Pregnant women can receive an RSV vaccine between 32–36 weeks of pregnancy during RSV season* to protect their infants at birth.
  - CDC recommends vaccination from September through January in most of the continental United States. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends extending vaccination from September 1 through March 1 for eligible pregnant individuals. Talk to your healthcare provider about the timing that is right for you.
  - If a child’s mother does not receive an RSV vaccine during pregnancy, a preventive antibody can be given to the newborn after birth.
Adults ages 50 and older
- A single dose of RSV vaccine is recommended for:
  - All adults age 75 and older
  - Adults ages 50-74 who are at increased risk of severe illness from RSV (such as those with chronic heart, liver, kidney and lung disease, diabetes, obesity, or those who are residents of long-term care facilities)

*RSV season can vary around the country. If you live in Alaska, Florida, or outside the continental U.S., talk to a healthcare provider about when RSV season is expected where you live.

For complete RSV vaccine recommendations, please visit:

What vaccine options are available?

For adults ages 50 and older:
- Three RSV vaccines are available to help prevent RSV.
For infants:
- Maternal vaccine: One maternal RSV vaccine is available. When given during pregnancy, it helps prevent RSV in infants after birth.
- Preventive antibodies for infants: Two options, nirsevimab or clesrovimab, are available for infants under 8 months born during or entering their first RSV season if:
  - their mother did not receive the RSV vaccine during pregnancy,
  - their mother’s RSV vaccine status is unknown, or
  - their mother received the RSV vaccine less than 14 days prior to birth.
- Preventive antibody for some young children: Nirsevimab is also available for young children 8–19 months who are at increased risk for severe illness from RSV and are entering their second RSV season.