Leading medical groups update flu, COVID vaccine recommendations amid confusion

A coalition of leading medical groups has released its own vaccine recommendations for the 2026-27 respiratory viral season based on their independent evidence review of existing data.

The Vaccine Integrity Project and American Medical Association (AMA) collaborated on evidence reviews for the vaccines targeting COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the flu.

“The newest evidence continues to demonstrate that immunization provides meaningful protection against hospitalization, severe illness and death. The degree of protection varies by virus, vaccine or immunization product, population, season and circulating strains,” the Vaccine Integrity Project and AMA said in its key findings.

“No new safety concerns were identified in comparative studies evaluating currently recommended immunizations. The findings are consistent with the well-established safety profiles of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines and the growing safety evidence for RSV immunizations,” added the organizations.

Their vaccine recommendations can be found at SpreadTheFacts.org .

The AMA’s recommendations are that all children 6 months and older receive the flu vaccine; all children ages 6-23 months receive the COVID-19 vaccine, while children 2-18 years old get the shot if they’re in certain risk groups or simply want it; and all children 8 months and younger get the RSV shot if they did not receive protection before birth, while children ages 8-19 months get the shot if they’re in certain risk groups.

For adults, the AMA generally recommends everyone get the annual COVID-19 and flu shots while adults 50-74 years of age get the RSV shot once if they have an increased risk of developing severe RSV.

“The American public deserves clear, credible information – based on the best available scientific evidence – when making decisions about vaccination,” Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, the AMA’s president-elect, said in a statement.

“The latest evidence reviews and recommendations are the result of our shared commitment across clinical medicine, science and public health to ensure vaccine recommendations are grounded in sound evidence and developed through a transparent process,” she added.

As federal vaccine schedules and recommendations have continued to be altered in the second Trump administration, multiple groups — including the AMA, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics — have come forward with their own vaccine recommendations for families.