Adult Flu, COVID-19 and RSV Vaccination, Early in the 2024–25 Season

This page describes early-season estimates for the 2024–25 respiratory virus season and the recommendations of that time.

Influenza, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) usually circulate in the United States from fall into early spring, and can cause serious illness — especially in adults 65 and older, people with certain medical conditions and some racial and ethnic minority groups.

Recommendations at the time:

• Flu: a yearly vaccine for everyone 6 months and older (recommended since 2010).
• COVID-19: the updated 2024–2025 vaccine for everyone 6 months and older (recommended June 2024).
• RSV: a single lifetime dose for all adults 75 and older and for adults 60–74 at increased risk of severe RSV (recommended June 2024).

CDC tracked coverage through the National Immunization Survey-Adult COVID Module, a cellphone survey of adults across the country, using data from early September to November 9, 2024.

Coverage by November 9, 2024

As of mid-October, flu coverage was about the same as a year earlier but 4.2 percentage points below the 2022–23 season at the same point.

Weekly vaccination status and intent for flu, COVID-19 and RSV among adults, September–November 9, 2024. CDC figure.

Many were still open to it

In the week ending November 9:

• Flu: 14.5% of adults said they definitely would get vaccinated and 20.5% probably would or were unsure — about 35% open to it.
• COVID-19: 13.5% definitely and 27.1% probably or unsure — about 41%.
• RSV (75+): 7.2% definitely and 32.8% probably or unsure — about 40%.

The share saying they probably or definitely would not get vaccinated was highest for COVID-19 (41.6%) and lowest for RSV (20.3% among those 75 and older; 14.8% among those 60–74).

Who was left behind

• Uninsured adults had the lowest coverage for every vaccine, and many said they probably or definitely wouldn't get flu (43.6%) or COVID-19 (44.3%) vaccines.
• Younger adults: flu coverage was 23.1% at ages 18–29 versus 58.6% at 65 and older; COVID-19 coverage was 7.2% versus 38.5%.
• Rural residents had generally lower coverage and intent than urban and suburban residents.
• People with disabilities had lower RSV coverage (33.1% vs 41.8% at 75 and older; 23.7% vs 34.2% at 60–74 with increased risk).
• Coverage was generally higher among Asian and White adults than among Black, Hispanic and American Indian or Alaska Native adults, though more White adults said they would not get a COVID-19 vaccine.
• By place: flu coverage ranged from 17.0% (Puerto Rico) to 50.5% (Maryland), and COVID-19 from 5.2% (Puerto Rico) to 33.9% (Vermont).

Vaccination status and intent for flu (A), COVID-19 (B) and RSV (C, D), by demographic group. CDC figure.

Closing the gaps

• A health care provider's recommendation and offer is strongly linked to getting vaccinated. Adults open to RSV vaccine often said they knew little about RSV or hadn't been advised to get it; those open to flu and COVID-19 vaccines cited side-effect worries, being too busy or not getting around to it.
• Offering vaccines in convenient places and times — provider offices, pharmacies, workplaces — could help.
• CDC's Bridge Access Program, which covered COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults, ended in August 2024; CDC provided limited funding for free 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccines through safety-net providers, and a national Vaccines for Adults program could close the access gap for all recommended vaccines.
• Approaches that narrowed gaps in the first COVID-19 vaccination series — free vaccines, trusted messengers and community-based sites — could help here too, alongside CDC campaigns such as Wild to Mild, Get My Flu Shot, and Risk Less. Do More.

The authors urged providers and immunization programs to expand outreach while there was still time before the season's peak and holiday gatherings, using CDC dashboards such as RespVaxView and FluVaxView to find undervaccinated groups.

Limitations: response rates were low (under 25%); answers were self-reported; samples for RSV age groups were small; and people in prisons, long-term care or nursing homes may be missed.

Sources

• Kriss JL, Black CL, Razzaghi H, et al. "Influenza, COVID-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccination Coverage Among Adults — United States, Fall 2024." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 73(46), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.