CDC Urges Americans to Get Updated Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines This Fall: Protect Against Respiratory Illnesses

Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia United States of America
ACIP recommends routine seasonal flu shots for people ages 6 months and older
CDC emphasizes safety of receiving flu and COVID shots at same time
CDC urges Americans to get updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines in fall of 2024
COVID-19 vaccination reduces risk of developing long COVID and emergency room visits
FDA advisory panel recommends JN.1 lineage for updated COVID-19 vaccine
Over 916,300 hospitalized with COVID-19, over 75,500 died in 2023
Updated COVID-19 vaccines recommended for same age group
CDC Urges Americans to Get Updated Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines This Fall: Protect Against Respiratory Illnesses

In the fall of 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging all Americans to receive updated COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) unanimously recommended routine seasonal flu shots for people ages 6 months old and older, as well as updated COVID-19 vaccines for the same age group. The recommendation comes amid concerns that the Bridge Access Program providing free COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured or underinsured people will end in August before the rollout of the updated COVID-19 shot.

According to data from the CDC, over 916,300 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 and 75,500 died from the disease in 2023. People who got vaccinated showed increased protection against emergency room and hospital visits compared with those who had no shot. The COVID-19 vaccination also reduces the risk of developing long COVID, which can develop after a severe illness.

Updated vaccines give targeted protection since immunity from a previous shot or infection decreases over time. Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a member of an FDA panel that recently advised which COVID-19 lineage to target for the new vaccines, expressed concern that the virus is not over and will now join other respiratory illnesses that cause hundreds of thousands of cases and tens of thousands of deaths every year. He urged people to make a plan for getting both updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall.

The FDA advisory panel recommended vaccines target the JN.1 lineage of SARS-CoV-2 in early June, and the updated COVID-19 vaccine is expected in August or September. The CDC emphasized that it was safe to receive the flu and COVID shots at the same time.

The CDC also recommended that all Americans 6 months and older receive the flu vaccine, noting that it will offer protection against three influenza A strains dominant last winter season. During the 2023-24 flu season, more than 44,900 people are estimated to have died from flu complications.

It's important for individuals to protect themselves and their loved ones from respiratory illnesses by getting vaccinated. Make a plan now for you and your family to get both updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall, ahead of the respiratory virus season.



Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • Is the Bridge Access Program ending before the rollout of the updated COVID-19 shot?
  • What are the exact dates for receiving flu and updated COVID-19 shots?

Sources

94%

  • Unique Points
    • The CDC recommended that Americans ages 6 months and older receive one of the new Covid-19 vaccines this fall.
  • Accuracy
    • ]The CDC recommended that Americans ages 6 months and older receive one of the new Covid-19 vaccines this fall.[
    • A vast majority of Americans who were hospitalized for Covid did not receive one of the shots offered last fall.
    • The number of Covid infections is rising in at least 39 states and territories during the summer wave.
    • The vaccines offer an incremental boost, remaining effective for only a few months as immunity wanes and the virus continues to evolve.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

91%

  • Unique Points
    • CDC recommends new Covid vaccines for all Americans this fall
    • CDC director Dr. Mandy Cohen urges getting vaccinated to protect against respiratory illness
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (70%)
    The article contains editorializing and selective reporting. The author states 'It's not clear whether that’s a sign of a coming summer wave – which has happened before – or just a blip,' but then goes on to present data on increasing Covid cases and hospitalizations in the southwestern US, implying that it is indeed a sign of an upcoming summer wave. However, the author does not provide any evidence to support this interpretation and instead presents it as a question. Additionally, the article selectively reports data on increasing Covid cases and hospitalizations while omitting information about decreasing deaths and hospitalizations from earlier in the year, which undermines the implication of an impending crisis.
    • It's not clear whether that’s a sign of a coming summer wave – which has happened before – or just a blip,
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

  • Unique Points
    • “People 6 months old and older should update their COVID-19 and flu shots this fall according to the CDC.”
    • “The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended routine seasonal flu shots for people ages 6 months old and older.”
    • “Dr. Mandy Cohen, CDC's director, urged people to make a plan for getting both updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall.”
    • “The CDC expressed concern that the Bridge Access Program providing free COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured or underinsured people will end in August before the rollout of the updated COVID-19 shot.”
    • “COVID-19 and flu should be taken seriously as they can cause hospitalization and death.”
    • “In 2023, over 916,300 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, and 75,500 died from the disease according to the CDC.”
    • “People who got the last COVID-19 vaccine showed increased protection against emergency room and hospital visits compared with people who had no shot.”
    • “The COVID-19 vaccination reduces the risk of developing long COVID which can develop after a severe illness.”
    • “Updated vaccines give targeted protection since immunity from a previous shot or infection decreases over time.”
    • ““The virus isn’t over,” said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a member of a Food and Drug Administration panel that recently advised which COVID-19 lineage to target for the new vaccines.”
    • “This virus will now join other respiratory illnesses that cause hundreds of thousands of cases and tens of thousands of deaths every year.”
    • “People in higher-risk groups should consider getting vaccinated to avoid serious illness or death.”
    • “We'll kind of get everybody in a regular pattern,” Furr said. “They can understand that every fall, I’ll get my flu vaccine (and) I’ll take my COVID update.”
    • “An FDA advisory panel recommended vaccines target the JN.1 lineage of SARS-CoV-2 in early June.”
    • “The updated COVID-19 vaccine is expected in August or September.”
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

  • Unique Points
    • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending all Americans receive an updated COVID-19 shot this fall.
    • CDC Director Mandy Cohen recommended getting both updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines this fall.
    • Updated COVID-19 vaccines will be available later this year from Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

  • Unique Points
    • CDC recommends all Americans receive an updated COVID-19 shot this fall.
    • CDC Director Mandy Cohen recommends getting vaccinated to protect against potential serious outcomes of COVID-19.
    • Updated COVID-19 vaccines will be available later this year from Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication