CDC Director Urges Immediate Flu and COVID Vaccination

The time is now to get your vaccinations updated if you haven't already done so this year.

This is the onset of the holiday season in the U.S. before people commence with Thanksgiving travels and other winter plans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is stressing upon the importance of getting vaccinated.

This year, there are vaccines available against COVID-19, influenza (flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). However, the percentage of people who have been vaccinated till now doesn't meet the expectations of health experts at this stage.

In light of this, the White House has decided to mark this period before Thanksgiving as the Holiday Vax Week of Action.

The intention is to persuade everyone, particularly the elderly and children, to get their COVID, flu and/or RSV vaccines as quickly as possible, said Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, the director of CDC, in an interaction with Health.

She added, “As we approach Thanksgiving, we know that people are going to travel, and there will be gatherings, and that's when viruses tend to spread. So, right now is the most conducive time for folks to guard themselves in order to build up those antibodies prior to the holiday.”

This is the current state of the U.S. concerning vaccines and here is how experts advise people to plan their remaining autumn vaccination schedule.

Generally, it's suggested that people get vaccinated against respiratory viruses by mid-autumn, but this season has seen a sluggish uptake.

William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt Medical Center said to Health that, “The best data we have so far is related to the updated COVID vaccine, and certainly not enough people have come forward to take that updated vaccine.”

In a survey conducted between October 8 and 14, a scanty 7% of adults confessed to having taken a COVID shot within the last month.

The flu vaccination rate is almost similar to what it was during 2021 and 2022, and everything appears to be on schedule in terms of distribution and uptake, Andrew Pekosz, PhD, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Health.

On the contrary, the RSV vaccine seems to be on par with COVID shots, but Pekosz predicts that due to distribution problems and a general push for vaccinations, it's probably lagging behind COVID and influenza vaccines in terms of uptake.

According to Schaffner, there is an expectation of increased transmission of respiratory viruses throughout November, December, and into January. That's why it's crucial for people to get vaccinated if they haven't yet.

Cohen stated, “We need about two weeks to have complete protection. That's why we're driving this campaign this week, to remind people that they still have a few weeks to generate as many antibodies as possible before the holidays."

The Food and Drug Administration's recent approval of RSV vaccines—one for older adults, and another for pregnant people—means that now, there are three potential vaccines people may be eligible to get during this fall.

The broad recommendation of CDC is that everyone aged six months and over should get the flu vaccine, and those aged five years and above must get the updated COVID shot.

As Thanksgiving is fast approaching, the CDC campaign may seem a little rushed. Yet, it's possible to get all three vaccines in the same sitting.

Cohen pointed out that people can consult their doctor or nurse practitioner if they have concerns about getting multiple vaccines in a day, especially in case of an existing health condition. Generally, however, it's safe and effective to get several vaccines simultaneously.

She said, “[It's] a matter of convenience. It may be challenging for some to visit a clinic or pharmacy to get the vaccines, so they may prefer to get it all in one go."

Most people can easily access these vaccines. As explained by Pekosz, many people can simply get them at their local pharmacy.

They can also visit the website Vaccines.gov for more data about finding the vaccines or accessing free vaccines.

The confern about growing ‘vaccine fatigue’ and the requirement for multiple shots this autumn could be a challenge for health officials.

Leveraging some Americans' tendency to require a little push to take action, Schaffner said that some people need more information, reassurance, comfort, and persuasion.

He commented, “They are the people we hope to influence. Ideally, they should take action before Thanksgiving."

Beyond just spreading awareness, it’s vital to highlight that the COVID and flu viruses have evolved since the previous year.

Most people argue that they've already gotten vaccinated or they've been through COVID before. However, it's crucial to remember that the virus has evolved, hence you need updated protection," Cohen commented.

Another way to overcome vaccine fatigue or hesitancy is to focus on changing people’s attitudes—vaccination is necessary if people want to protect not just themselves, but also their families and communities, Schaffner explained.

“I think there’s a lot of people who get the flu vaccine but won’t get the COVID vaccine. And there really is no reason why you should do that,” Pekosz said. “[COVID] is a serious disease and we need to start thinking about it a little bit more like we think about influenza.”

Though the CDC is focusing on pushing vaccinations right now, there are other tools that the country will have to utilize to safely get through the winter respiratory virus season.

People can access free COVID tests at COVIDtest.gov, Cohen said, and get tested for flu or RSV either by a healthcare provider or via an over-the-counter rapid test.

“It’s never too late,” said Cohen. “A week from now or even two weeks from now, get vaccinated. The important part is protecting yourself ahead of this season. And so we have the tools to do it. We just need to use those safe, effective tools.”