Don’t wait – stay up to date on all recommended vaccines
ALL recommended vaccines during respiratory disease season are necessary to prevent severe illness.
ALL recommended vaccines during respiratory disease season are necessary to prevent severe illness.The fall and winter can be a fun time of year, filled with holiday events, family gatherings, and special moments with loved ones. This time of year also coincides with respiratory disease season, where flu, COVID-19, and RSV circulate in our communities. During these festive months, you should be celebrating and having fun with friends and family, not navigating unimaginable loss from a vaccine-preventable disease. Thankfully, we have vaccines to prevent serious illness and death from flu, RSV, and COVID-19, so you can protect yourself and your loved ones this respiratory disease season.
The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines for the 2024–25 respiratory disease season. For babies, pregnant individuals, and older adults, the CDC also recommends RSV vaccination to protect against serious complications and hospitalization. You may have heard the myth that we’re giving “too many vaccines” during respiratory disease season, but each of these immunizations serve a crucial purpose of protecting you and your loved ones from each of these different respiratory diseases. Flu, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe, effective, and necessary to prevent serious complications and death from these diseases.
Vaccines are carefully timed to optimize protection
Flu, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccines are recommended during the fall and winter because that’s when the spread of these viruses peak in our communities. Colder weather can contribute to the spread of viruses because cold, dry air allows viruses to linger and spread further than in warm, humid climates. Additionally, colder weather often results in people spending more time indoors, and winter holidays prompt more travel and social gatherings, giving these viruses more opportunities to spread. While it may seem like we’re giving a lot of vaccinations at once, the timing of these respiratory vaccines are very important for building protection going into the colder months.
Another factor that influences the timing of respiratory vaccine recommendations is that the immune system usually takes around 2 weeks to build immunity following a vaccination. It’s important to get the flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines before virus transmission peaks in our communities. If you are exposed to one of these viruses before your body has the chance to build immunity through vaccination, you could get infected and become at risk for severe illness and complications.
If you haven’t gotten your flu, RSV, or COVID-19 vaccine yet, it’s not too late! Find pharmacies near you HERE.
Receiving several vaccinations at the same time is safe for the immune system
Every day, we encounter thousands of different germs. For the average healthy person, the immune system is always at work defending the body from infections, oftentimes without you even knowing it. Our immune systems can easily handle multiple vaccines at once because they encounter so many germs on a daily basis. Vaccination is a safer, more controlled way of gaining exposure and immunity to germs.
Getting your flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same appointment can be a convenient way to make sure you are protected for respiratory disease season. Though some people have concerns about receiving multiple vaccines at once, a number of studies show that getting several vaccines at the same time is safe and does not cause any chronic health problems. Flu and COVID-19 vaccines are as effective in combination as they are individually.
Each vaccine protects against specific illnesses
The CDC recommends multiple vaccines this respiratory disease season because each vaccine protects against a different circulating virus. A COVID-19 vaccine cannot protect against the flu, and an RSV vaccine cannot protect against COVID-19. Each vaccine teaches the body to build immunity to that specific disease, so it’s important that you and your loved ones are up to date on all recommended vaccines to stay safe and healthy this fall and winter.
Viral rumors are also going around this season
Fall and winter bring a surge in respiratory viruses like flu, COVID-19, RSV, and the common cold—and plenty of misinformation. Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) is here to help with our new Viral Mythbusting Campaign! Get the facts, debunk the myths, and stay informed. Check back weekly for new blog posts tackling the latest viral rumors and learn how to protect your family and community this season!
You can participate in our Viral Mythbusting Campaign by sharing the importance of busting respiratory disease myths on your social media platforms. VYF offers a free downloadable toolkit that follows an evidence-based format for combatting misinformation: lead with the fact, warn about the myth, explain how the myth misleads, and finish with the fact. Sometimes called a “truth sandwich,” this is a proven way to address respiratory rumors.
To join:
- Visit our campaign webpage
- Access our campaign toolkit
- Share any time during this respiratory disease season
- Use hashtag #ViralTruths and tag @vaccinateyourfamily on IG and FB, @vaxyourfam on X so we can amplify your posts!
To find drafted general myths social copy and downloadable graphics, click here.
Additional Resources
VYF provides up-to-date information on vaccine safety and access on our website. View our current programs to learn more about our services and ways to get involved.
For more information: