Background
Influenza or flu is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can lead to hospitalization or death. A yearly flu vaccination is the best way to lower your risk of getting sick from the flu. Getting vaccinated reduces doctors’ visits, missed work or school, and flu-related hospitalizations.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also expects COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, to spread this fall and winter. These diseases are highly contagious and serious, especially for people who are at higher risk. Staying up to date on recommended vaccines, everyday actions like handwashing, and medication prescribed by your doctor can protect you and help stop the spread of viruses.
Key Messages for Communicators
How Effective is the Flu Vaccine?
- Flu vaccine effectiveness can vary year to year.
- Flu vaccination reduces the risk of hospitalization and severe complications for those with at higher risk.
- Recent studies show the flu vaccine can reduce the risk of flu between 40% and 60%.
The Flu Vaccine for Pregnant People
- Pregnant people are at an increased risk for severe illness and complications if they get the flu.
- If you’re pregnant during flu season, call your doctor to see when and how you can get the flu shot. They can tell you which vaccines the CDC recommends for pregnant people and how to protect you and your baby during flu season.
COVID-19
COVID-19 Vaccines
- U.S. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and protect people from serious illness and death from COVID-19.
- COVID-19 vaccines protect people who have already had COVID-19, including protection against being hospitalized from a new infection.
- COVID-19 vaccination helps protect people by creating an immune response without the risk of severe illness.
- CDC recommends the 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax, to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.
- Everyone aged 5 years and older should get 1 dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.
- Children aged 6 months–4 years need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be up to date, including at least 1 dose of updated COVID-19 vaccine.
- People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine.
- Talk to you doctor about your vaccine history to see which vaccine and dosage is appropriate.
- Immunocompromised people can get additional updated 2023-2024 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine doses, depending on the number of prior doses.
- Hundreds of millions of people in the U.S. received COVID-19 vaccines under the most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history.
For more information visit the full COVID-19 vaccination toolkit.
Approved Graphics
Use any of these graphics on your social media platforms to promote the Flu, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccines. Click on the image to download or share and find suggested social media content for each graphic.