The CDC Went Silent on Fall Shots. Here’s What Doctors Say You Need at 50, 65 and 75

Key Points:

• For the 2026-27 vaccine season, the usual CDC advisory committee has been inactive due to a lawsuit, prompting four major physician groups to release their own vaccine guidance based on independent evidence review.
• Adults aged 50-64 are advised to get the updated flu shot, one dose of the new COVID vaccine if they have underlying conditions, and an RSV vaccine if they have chronic health issues; shingles and pneumococcal vaccines are also recommended starting at age 50.
• People aged 65-74 should receive an enhanced flu vaccine and two doses of the updated COVID vaccine spaced six months apart, while RSV vaccination depends on individual risk factors.
• Those 75 and older are recommended to receive all vaccines above, with RSV vaccination advised universally due to higher hospitalization and death rates from RSV and COVID in this age group.
• Vaccines are available at no cost for Medicare beneficiaries and are generally covered without cost-sharing by major insurers through 2027; vaccines can be administered simultaneously or spaced out, but timely vaccination in September or October is emphasized.