TL;DR: Flu, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccines can help protect you during the fall respiratory virus season. Here’s what to know about each one.
Fall is almost here, bringing pumpkin spice, sweater weather and, like clockwork, flu season.
But this year's season looks a little different. Changes in federal vaccine policy, including a legal dispute that has disrupted the CDC's usual advisory process, have created more uncertainty than we're used to seeing heading into fall. And without a federal vaccine campaign this year, employers and individuals may have more questions about what to expect.
The good news is that flu, RSV and COVID-19 vaccines are still available, and vaccination remains an important way to help protect against respiratory illness this fall and winter.
For employers, now is a good time to start sharing clear information with employees and making vaccination as convenient as possible.
Wondering what's available, who should get what and when? We've broken it all down below. Consider this your cheat sheet for fall 2026 vaccine season.
Flu Vaccine: What to Know
This year's flu shot targets three strains, and all three were updated for the 2026-2027 season, which doesn't happen every year. That's a good sign for how well-matched the vaccine should be to what's actually circulating.
Who should get it: Everyone six months and older. Kids under nine getting their first flu vaccine need two doses, spaced a month apart. After that, it's just one dose a season.
When to get it: For most adults, 'ber months (September, October, November and December) remain good times to receive a flu vaccine, with October often providing a useful balance between getting protected before flu activity increases and maintaining protection through the winter.
A couple of things worth knowing if you want to fine-tune your choice:
- Kids may get slightly better protection from the nasal spray version, and it can now be given at home.
- For adults ages 65 and older, high-dose flu vaccines offer added protection. They contain more antigen than a standard flu shot, which helps stimulate a stronger immune response at an age when the immune system may not respond as robustly to vaccination.
- There's also a new option entering the flu vaccine landscape. Moderna's mRNA-based flu vaccine, mFlusvia, was approved in 2026 for adults 50 and older. It uses mRNA technology similar to that used in some COVID-19 vaccines.
Flu vaccines aren't perfect, but they can make a meaningful difference. Depending on how closely the vaccine matches circulating viruses, vaccination has historically reduced the risk of needing medical care for flu by roughly 40% to 60% during seasons when the vaccine is well matched.
Even when vaccination doesn't completely prevent infection, it can help reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and complications.
COVID-19 Vaccine: What's Different This Year
This fall's Covid-19 vaccine has been updated to target XFG, a newer Omicron subvariant. Like previous updates, it's expected to offer somewhere between 30-60% additional protection against urgent care visits or hospitalization compared to skipping the shot altogether.
For fall 2026, vaccine options include products from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax.
There is one important wrinkle this year: final fall COVID-19 vaccination guidance is still developing. Additional guidance is expected in early September, so recommendations may become clearer as the fall season gets underway.
Who should get it: Recommendations from professional medical groups (pediatricians, OB-GYNs, and infectious disease specialists) still point to coverage for infants and high-risk kids, pregnant women at any stage, and adults generally.
When to get it: This one's a judgment call. If you're worried about a current wave, getting it now makes sense. If you'd rather stretch your protection into the winter surge (which tends to hit closer to November), waiting a bit may work better. And if you were recently infected, most guidance suggests holding off four to six months so your immune system has time to reset.
RSV Is Worth Knowing About, Too
RSV vaccination isn't something most employers will include in a workplace event, but it's increasingly part of the fall vaccination conversation.
RSV isn't only a concern for babies. It's a real risk for older adults too, and there are now three vaccine options on the market: GSK, Pfizer, and Moderna.
Who should get it: Adults 75 and older, along with adults 50-74 who have certain risk factors. And unlike the flu shot, this one isn't an annual vaccine. If you've already had a dose, you likely don't need another one this year. RSV prevention is also available during pregnancy to help protect newborns during their first months of life. Because RSV recommendations are more specific, employees should talk with their healthcare provider about whether RSV vaccination is appropriate for them.
When to get it: Now is a good time. Protection is durable and should carry you through the whole season.
What Employers Can Do Now
A rough flu or RSV season doesn't just affect how someone feels. It shows up in missed shifts, lower productivity, and that ripple effect when one person gets everyone else sick too. Making it easy for your team to get vaccinated (without having to take time off to do it) is one of the simplest ways to protect both your people and your bottom line this fall and winter.
One of the biggest barriers to vaccination isn't necessarily vaccine hesitancy. Sometimes it's simply inconvenience. Employees have busy schedules. Finding a pharmacy appointment, driving to a clinic and waiting for a vaccine can turn a quick health task into something that's easy to postpone.
That's where workplace vaccination programs can help.
Hosting an on-site flu shot clinic brings vaccination directly to employees, eliminating an extra trip and making it easier for people to fit vaccination into their day. Employers can also help by communicating early, sharing straightforward vaccine information and giving employees plenty of notice about upcoming clinic dates.
Make Fall Vaccination Easier for Employees
There's a lot going on in the vaccine world this fall, but the core message hasn't changed.
Getting vaccinated is still one of the easiest ways to protect yourself, your family, and your coworkers from a rough season of illness. If you have specific health questions, your doctor is always the best resource, but for most people, the plan is simple: get your shots, and get back to enjoying fall.
TotalWellness provides convenient on-site vaccination clinics for workplaces across the country. Ready to plan your fall flu clinic?
