An Early Flu Surge Arrives, and Here Is What Older Adults Should Know About Shots
An early, busy flu season has arrived, and the CDC says activity is already higher than normal for this time of year. Guidance for adults 50 and older spells out which flu, COVID-19, and RSV shots are advised, including a new mRNA flu option.
Flu is off to an unusually early start this year, and doctors say older adults have a few tools to stay out of the hospital. In a surveillance report published November 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said flu activity is already higher than normal for this time of year. For the week ending November 7, about 11.3 percent of flu tests came back positive, up from just 1.9 percent at the same point last year. Several states were seeing high activity, and the CDC estimated at least 2.6 million illnesses, 36,000 hospitalizations, and 2,100 deaths so far this season.
With Thanksgiving travel and gatherings ahead, now is a sensible time to get caught up on shots. The National Council on Aging, drawing on CDC guidance, laid out what people 50 and older should think about for flu, COVID-19, and RSV.
For the flu, the CDC continues to recommend a yearly shot for almost everyone 6 months and older. For adults 65 and older, it prefers one of three stronger options, a high-dose vaccine, an adjuvanted vaccine, or a recombinant vaccine, all made to give an extra boost to aging immune systems. There is also a new choice this season. In August, regulators approved an mRNA flu vaccine for adults 50 and older, adding another option at the pharmacy. If a preferred vaccine is not in stock, the CDC says do not wait, get whatever flu shot is available for your age.
RSV, short for respiratory syncytial virus, can be dangerous for older people. The CDC recommends the RSV vaccine for all adults 75 and older, and for adults 50 to 74 who are at higher risk of serious illness. The CDC adopted the expansion that lowered the risk-based group to start at age 50 instead of 60 on June 25, 2025, as the Associated Press reported. The RSV shot is not a yearly vaccine. For now it is a single dose, so if you have already had it, you do not need another.
On COVID-19, updated vaccines are available and are advised especially for adults 65 and older, who face the greatest risk of serious illness. This year's versions were designed to match a recent strain.
Doctors note you can safely get your flu and COVID shots during the same visit, which saves a trip. Getting vaccinated before the end of October is ideal, but a shot in mid-November still offers real protection, and it takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to reach full strength.
Go Deeper
How bad is the flu season so far?
In a report published November 13, the CDC said activity is higher than normal for this time of year. For the week ending November 7, about 11.3 percent of flu tests were positive, up from 1.9 percent a year earlier, with several states at high activity and an estimated 2.6 million illnesses, 36,000 hospitalizations, and 2,100 deaths so far this season.
Which flu shot is best for people 65 and older?
The CDC prefers one of three stronger options for adults 65 and older, a high-dose vaccine, an adjuvanted vaccine, or a recombinant vaccine. A new mRNA flu vaccine was approved in August for adults 50 and older, and if a preferred shot is not available, the CDC says to get whatever flu shot is offered for your age rather than wait.
Who should get the RSV vaccine?
The CDC recommends it for all adults 75 and older, and for adults 50 to 74 who are at higher risk of serious illness. The expansion that lowered the risk-based group to start at age 50 instead of 60 was adopted on June 25, 2025, as the Associated Press reported, and the shot is a single dose, not a yearly one.
What about COVID-19 for older adults?
Updated COVID-19 vaccines are available and are advised especially for adults 65 and older, who face the greatest risk of serious illness. This year's versions were designed to match a recent strain.
Is mid-November too late to get vaccinated?
No. Before the end of October is ideal, but a shot in mid-November still offers real protection. It takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to reach full strength, and you can safely get your flu and COVID shots during the same visit.
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