News Releases

New RSV Treatment and Updated Vaccines for Flu and COVID-19 Expected to Arrive in September

As new COVID-19 variants spread, health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced vaccine recommendations and the upcoming arrival of updated vaccines for COVID-19, influenza and, for the first time, a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine that can help protect newborns.

COVID-19

Last week, COVID-19 related hospitalizations jumped nearly 22% across the U.S., causing the CDC to update their COVID-19 forecast, which predicts increased hospitalizations of up to 9,700 daily by Sept. 25.

Currently, the dominate strain in the U.S., EG.5, represents more than 20% of new infections, followed by variant FL.1.5.1, which is responsible for 13% of new infections. Concerning to officials, a new variant, BA.2.86, has emerged in 13 countries and appears to have a high number of mutations, which could allow it to evade antibodies developed in response to previous vaccinations or infections.

The FDA is in the process of approving the new COVID-19 vaccines to protect against current variants with an expected release to occur as early as late September — after the Sept. 12 meeting of the CDC’s expert vaccine panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

RSV

On Aug. 21, the FDA approved Abrysvo as the first RSV vaccine for use in pregnant individuals to decrease the impact of the RSV in infants from birth to six months of age. The vaccine is administered as a single dose injection between 32 and 36 months gestational age of pregnancy and provides an 81% reduced risk of infants developing severe lower respiratory tract disease during the first three months of birth, according to the FDA.

In the U.S., RSV is the leading cause of hospitalizations in infants younger than one year and responsible for more than 50,000 annual hospitalizations of children under five. The CDC recommends infants born shortly before or during RSV season should get a shot of the newly approved Beyfortus — a monoclonal antibody injection — within one week of birth and as old as eight months. The injection is expected to be available by mid-October and only at a doctor’s office or medical facility.

Abrysvo and the RSV vaccine Arexvy were approved earlier in the year for adults 60 and older, and especially recommended for those with weakened immune systems, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure or coronary artery disease. This recommendation also applies to those working or living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities. More than 6,000 people in this age group are estimated to die yearly due to RSV, with as many as 160,000 people hospitalized. For more information on these two vaccines, visit the CDC’s RSV vaccine information statements.

Influenza

Looking to ease the number of patients admitted to hospitals due to flu symptoms, the CDC issued flu vaccine recommendations for the upcoming season. One of the notable changes addresses egg allergies. Produced using an egg-based manufacturing process containing a small amount of egg proteins, the CDC no longer recommends those with egg allergies to get the vaccine under the supervision of an allergy specialist. The full list of updated CDC seasonal influenza vaccine recommendations can be viewed here.

Some of the highlights:

• Routine annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged greater than six months.
• Vaccination should occur in September or October, but should be offered throughout the season as long as influenza viruses are circulating.
• Pregnant individuals can be considered for vaccination in August if in their third trimester.
• The number of doses for ages six months through eight years has been updated.
• The flu shot and the updated COVID-19 shot may be administered at the same time.

The CDC estimates as many as 41 million flu illnesses occur annually in the U.S. with as many as 52,000 deaths occurring in 2018. A 2021 study cited on the CDC’s website indicates that among adults hospitalized with flu, vaccinated patients had a 26% lower risk of intensive care unit admission and a 31% lower risk of death compared with those unvaccinated, highlighting an importance of staying up to date on vaccines.

To learn more about vaccine recommendations, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.