The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects the 2026-27 respiratory virus season to produce a similar number of peak hospitalizations from influenza, COVID-19 and RSV as last season, according to the agency's annual outlook report.
Early surveillance shows seasonal flu activity increasing across parts of the country but remaining at low overall levels. Of the influenza A viruses subtyped during the most recent full reporting week, 98.4% were the H1N1pdm09 strain, a mix that influences how well this season's vaccine matches.
The 2026-27 Vaccine Menu
The CDC continues to recommend a seasonal flu vaccine for everyone aged 6 months and older, ideally by the end of October. This season's menu includes a first: in August, the Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna's mRNA seasonal flu vaccine, branded mFlusiva, for people aged 50 and older, alongside traditional egg-based and cell-culture shots, a nasal spray for eligible patients, and Novavax's protein-based option for ages 12 and up.
Doctors say patients can receive flu and COVID vaccines in the same visit. "I recommend every patient that I see should get vaccinated for influenza," said Dr. Michael Angarone, director of the Infectious Disease Fellowship Program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
For RSV, the CDC recommends a single lifetime dose for all adults aged 75 and older, and for adults 50 to 74 at increased risk of severe disease.
Measles Complicates the Picture
Complicating the respiratory-virus picture, the CDC has reported roughly 4,400 measles cases in the United States this year, and New York declared a state disaster emergency over rising case counts. The agency has said it will send disease detectives to Pennsylvania to support the local response, a reminder that routine immunization gaps remain one of the country's most persistent public-health vulnerabilities.
