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Four leading American medical groups have issued their own vaccine guidance for the 2026-27 season, moving ahead of federal health authorities.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America published their recommendations on September 2.
According to health publications, the move reflects frustration that the CDC has so far only carried over its 2025 flu guidance without issuing fresh recommendations for the new season.
The groups’ guidance covers flu, COVID-19 and RSV shots, urging protection for children, pregnant patients, older adults and the immunocompromised.
Public-health experts say the unusual split underscores how much the vaccine landscape has changed — and how closely this season will be watched.
The joint guidance is notable for its specificity: dosing schedules for infants, timing for pregnant patients and recommendations for adults over 65 are all spelled out in detail.
Pediatricians, in particular, have welcomed the clarity. With the school year underway and respiratory viruses already circulating, they say families need answers now — not after federal committees finish deliberating.
Whether the CDC follows with its own updated recommendations remains unclear. For now, the professional societies have filled the gap, and their advice is what most clinicians are likely to follow.
The guidance also addresses co-administration — getting flu and COVID shots at the same visit — which the groups say is safe and effective. Reducing the number of appointments, they argue, is one of the simplest ways to raise coverage.
Pharmacists, who now deliver a large share of adult vaccinations, have praised the recommendations as practical and clear. With October underway, they say, the window for pre-winter protection is open now.
The bottom line from the medical groups is straightforward: don’t wait. Vaccines take about two weeks to build full protection, and the viruses they target are already on the move.
