Category: Health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it has established measures to “identify and assess” any travelers from the Russian region where a possible plague case was reported.

In a statement on Wednesday, the agency noted that roughly 200 travelers from the region arrive in the U.S. over the course of a year. These travelers enter the country through airports where CDC staff are already positioned. 

“CDC is closely monitoring the situation and has established measures in place to identify and assess travelers arriving from the affected region,” the CDC’s statement read, in part. “CDC has longstanding systems and trained personnel in place to detect and respond to potential public health risks at U.S. ports of entry. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and adjust our public health response as conditions warrant.”

Currently, there are no do-not-board orders related to the reported case. The Do Not Board list, which is enforced by the Transportation Security Administration, prevents people from obtaining a boarding pass for a flight into, out of, or within the U.S. for travelers known or suspected to have a contagious disease that poses a public health threat.

During an event on Wednesday, Dr. Erica Schwartz, the CDC’s director, said the agency is “well positioned to make sure that we are protected from a potential threat” such as plague.

“We ​are working with Department of Homeland Security, working [with] ⁠Department of State, Department of War and ​other agencies within the government to make sure ​that we know exactly if anyone from that area comes into the United States,” Schwartz said at the Wall ​Street Journal’s The Future of Health event in ​Washington, D.C.

“We are very confident that the threat to the United States is extremely low,” she added. 

It came after World Health Organization (WHO) officials said during a press conference on Wednesday they do not currently have enough information from Russian authorities to conduct a full risk assessment after the death of a plague laboratory worker in Siberia.

Initial media reports suggested a lab worker at Irkutsk Antiplague Research Institute died of the plague, but Russian officials later disputed this, saying the worker died of pneumonia and that the illness was not linked to work in the lab.

During the press conference, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency asked the Russian Federation for more information on Saturday. The Russian Federation replied on Tuesday, saying no case of plague had recently been reported in the Irkutsk Oblast, in southeastern Siberia, and that about 200 contacts had been placed in quarantine.

ABC News’ Christopher Boccia and Othon Leyva contributed to this report.

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Pennsylvania is reporting 74 new measles cases since Monday, the state’s health department said Wednesday.

A total of 1,078 cases have been reported in the state so far this year. At least 207 people have been hospitalized and five people have died, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Of the 74 cases added, more than 40 represent individuals who were sick more than two weeks ago and are no longer contagious, but their cases were only recently reported and subsequently confirmed, the DOH said. Wednesday’s update “does not reflect a current surge in new infections.”

Of the five people who died, two of the deaths were among unvaccinated adults: an 18-year-old and a 40-year-old. The other two deaths were among infants who were too young to have received the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The fifth death occurred in an unvaccinated resident of Lancaster County, in southeastern Pennsylvania, but it is unclear how old the individual was. Lancaster County is the epicenter of the state’s outbreak, with 401 cases confirmed so far.

One-third of cases are among those under 18 years old and fewer than 1% of cases are among those fully vaccinated with the MMR shot, according to DOH data.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective in preventing measles infection and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says.

Infants aged 6 to 11 months living in or traveling to high-risk outbreak areas may receive an early third dose of the MMR vaccine.

CDC data, however, shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years. During the 2025-26 school year, 92.4% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine, according to data. This is lower than the 95.2% seen in the 2019-20 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“State health center staff have administered more than 5,700 MMR vaccinations at 198 pop-up vaccination clinics in the affected communities since the outbreak began in late April,” DOH wrote in a press release on Wednesday.

“Dozens of additional vaccine clinics are scheduled for the upcoming weeks and months, based on community interest and need,” the press release continued. “In pop-up clinics and at state health centers combined, Department nurses have administered nearly 9,000 MMR vaccine doses to residents across the Commonwealth in 2026.”

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As the weather turns colder, it also means respiratory virus season is upon the United States.

In its annual outlook report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it expects the 2026-27 respiratory virus season to have a similar number of peak hospitalizations from influenza, COVID-19 and RSV compared to last season.

Public health specialists told ABC News the best way for people to protect themselves against these viruses is to get vaccinated.

Flu vaccine

The CDC currently recommends that people aged 6 months and older receive an annual flu vaccine.

The seasonal flu vaccine protects against three viruses predicted to circulate during flu season: Type A (H1N1) virus, Type A(H3N2) virus, and Type B/Victoria virus

There are several flu vaccines available this season, with recommendations varying by age and medical history.

“Obviously, we target high-risk groups, so those would be older adults, so over the age of 50, people with chronic medical conditions, individuals who are immunocompromised, individuals that have obesity, or persons who are pregnant or wanting to get pregnant, and healthcare personnel,” Dr. Michael Angarone, director of the Infectious Disease Fellowship Program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told ABC News. “But I recommend every patient that I see should get vaccinated for influenza.”

Standard-dose inactivated flu vaccines grown either in eggs or cell culture are available for anybody as young as 6 months old.

High-dose and adjuvanted flu vaccines, both of which are egg-based, are available for those aged 65 and older due to their higher risk of severe illness.

Anyone aged 9 and older can receive a recombinant flu vaccine, which is produced without eggs. For those between ages 2 and 49, who don’t have certain medical conditions and aren’t pregnant, a nasal spray flu vaccine is also available.

Additionally, in August, the Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna’s mRNA seasonal flu vaccine to protect those aged 50 and older.

One dose is recommended for children between 6 months and 8 years old who have received two doses in past seasons and everyone aged 9 and older.

Some children under age 9 may require two doses based on prior vaccine history. 

Public health specialists told ABC News they recommend that people receive flu vaccines by the end of October, but that people should get the vaccine even if later in the fall or winter as long as influenza viruses are circulating and unexpired vaccine is available.

Dr. Majd Alsoubani, infectious disease physician at Tufts Medical Center, said that one thing she often hears from patients is that every time they receive the vaccine, they get the flu — which she says is a combination of misinformation and misunderstanding.

“All the injectable influenza vaccines, they don’t have the live virus, it only contains parts of the virus, so it doesn’t cause influenza,” she told ABC News. “We know that the vaccine needs a couple of weeks just to create protection, so if they were exposed to influenza before the vaccine or right after, they actually might get the flu because the vaccine didn’t have time to provide that protection.”

COVID-19 vaccine

People aged 18 and older are recommended to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, as are children ages 6 months to 17 years old at increased risk

Parents of all other children should speak to their pediatrician to discuss getting the vaccine.

The updated 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccines target the XFG strain, a recombinant Omicron variant, meaning it formed through the combination of two Omicron subvariants.

Moderna’s mRNA vaccine is approved for those 6 months through 64 years old with an underlying condition and for all adults aged 65 and older. Another Moderna mRNA vaccine that is a lower dosage is available for those ages 12 and older

Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine is approved for those 5 years through 64 years old with an underlying condition and for all adults over age 65.

According to the CDC, underlying conditions placing people at risk for higher risk for severe COVID-19 include but are not limited to cancer, asthma, chronic lung disease, diabetes, heart conditions, mental health conditions and pregnancy.

Also available is a vaccine from Novavax, which is a protein-based vaccine, for those aged 12 and older.

Angarone said people can safely get the flu and COVID vaccine during the same visit if they are eligible.

“I recommend to my patients just get it at the same time, or if you don’t want to get both at the same time, get [the COVID vaccine] a week apart from the flu vaccine,” he said. “So, kind of around this time, October timeframe.”

RSV vaccine

“The immunization recommendation kind of follows the people who are at risk of severe disease,” Alsoubani said. “So the RSV vaccine currently is only one dose, so you’re one and done. It’s not an annual vaccine.”

The CDC recommends RSV vaccines for all adults aged 75 and older and adults between ages 50 and 74 at increased risk for severe RSV.

It is also recommended for all pregnant people between 32 and 36 weeks’ gestation.

For infants under 8 months who are in their first RSV season and whose mother did not receive a maternal RSV vaccine, two monoclonal antibody shots are available.

Monoclonal antibodies are proteins manufactured in a lab that mimic the antibodies the body naturally creates when fighting an infection.

A small group of young children between ages 8-19 months at increased risk for severe RSV may also be eligible.

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Cats live in nearly 80 million American households, but a new study suggests nearly one out of fifteen cats are infected with a common parasite, and one out of five infected cats can transmit it to humans. 

In the study, published in PLoS One, researchers tested over 150,000 samples from cats in 49 states and five Canadian provinces for Giardia duodenalis, a gastrointestinal parasite found in the United States that can cause frequent diarrhea in both animals and humans. 

“Because some strains of Giardia can affect both animal and human health, understanding how commonly it occurs can help support earlier detection, appropriate treatment, and conversations about practical steps pet owners can take to help protect both their pets and their households,” Dr. Anne Kimmerlein, co-author of the study and Global Veterinary Epidemiologist at Mars Veterinary Health, told ABC News. 

 

What is Giardia

 

Giardia duodenalis, commonly known as “beaver fever,” is a parasite that can infect both humans and animals. The nickname became popular in the 1970s after outbreaks were linked to contaminated water in areas where beavers lived.

Giardia can cause diarrhea up to five times daily, along with other symptoms such as upset stomach and bloating, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Infected pets may exhibit similar symptoms, or no symptoms at all.

Severe cases can cause long-term symptoms lasting years, such as joint inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic diarrhea or nutritional deficiencies, according to the CDC. 

Individuals with vulnerable immune systems, such as children, are at increased risk of complications.

Giardia live in the intestines of infected people and animals and spread through their stool.

Only a few parasites are needed to make an individual sick, which allows it to spread very easily.

Humans are most often infected after drinking unclean water or being in close contact with the fecal material of infected individuals or pets. 

Symptoms generally begin one to two weeks after exposure and resolve in under six weeks. 

 

How is Giardia treated?

 

Giardia infections can sometimes resolve on their own without treatment, particularly in people with mild or no symptoms. 

However, doctors may prescribe medication and supportive therapy for people with persistent symptoms, those at higher risk of complications or those at risk of spreading the infection to others. 

In pets, veterinarians may also prescribe medicine.

“If your cat is diagnosed with Giardia, thoroughly cleaning all litter boxes, water and food bowls is imperative. Clean any areas that accidents may have occurred and keep them separated from young children or immunocompromised individuals until treatment and re-testing is complete,” Dr Stevie Aitken, an emergency veterinarian, told ABC News. 

 

Which cats may be more at risk?

 

Some cats may be more likely than others to become infected with Giardia, possibly due to differences in environmental exposures or behavior. 

Researchers found that kittens were more likely to test positive than older cats, and male cats were more likely to be infected than female cats. 

Neutered kittens, more often seen in shelters where neutering happens at a younger age, also had a markedly higher likelihood of infection, which may be due to exposure to other rescue animals. 

Where a cat lives and the time of year may also play a role. Giardia was detected less often during the summer months, which researchers said may be because the parasite survives better in cooler and moist conditions.

Cats in the Midwest also had higher rates of infection compared with cats in other parts of the United States, which researchers believe may be due to differences in environment and reporting.

Researchers found that some of the same factors linked to a higher chance of infection were also associated with carrying forms of Giardia that may be able to infect people. 

 

What do experts recommend?

 

Because Giardia is easily spread and can infect humans and animals alike, it has the potential to spread among many humans and animals quickly. 

Aitken believes routine testing annually during pet wellness visits or when symptomatic is sufficient but recommends more frequent screening if there are young children or immunocompromised individuals in the house. 

“Giardia, while prevalent and occasionally problematic, is typically very treatable. Wash your hands, don’t let animals lick your face or your mouth, and keep kids away from litter boxes. And if you’re ever concerned about exposure or your cat’s health, call your veterinarian,” Aitken said. 

Dr. Allen Chang is a Geriatric Medicine subspecialist at Dalhousie University and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday it does not currently have enough information from Russian authorities to conduct a full risk assessment after the death of a plague laboratory worker in Siberia.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said during a press conference that following media reports of the worker’s death, the WHO asked the Russian Federation on Saturday for more information, in accordance with the International Health Regulations (IHR).

The Russian Federation replied on Tuesday, saying no case of plague had recently been reported in the Irkutsk oblast, in southeastern Siberia, and that about 200 contacts had been placed in quarantine.

“As we don’t yet have the full picture of this event, we are not able to conduct a full risk assessment,” Tedros said in his opening remarks. “Timely, complete and transparent information sharing under the International Health Regulations is essential to clarify conflicting reports and enable an accurate assessment of potential public health risks.”

Initial media reports suggested a lab worker at Irkutsk Antiplague Research Institute died of the plague, but Russian officials later disputed this, saying the worker died of pneumonia and that the illness was not linked to work in the lab. 

Tedros said the WHO has requested more information surrounding the death of the lab worker, the tests being conducted on the individual who died, contact tracing of other individuals close to the worker, and other information.

“We don’t know exactly how this person died,” Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, director of the department of epidemic and pandemic management of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, told reporters on Wednesday. “We know that she had pneumonia. We know it was a fatal case. We understand that some laboratory tests have been done. They haven’t found the causative agent, that we know, and so this is why we need more information.”

It appears that the WHO may have leaned heavily on local media reports to better understand what may have occurred.

In response to a reporter’s question about a potential incident in the lab, Kerkhove noted, “I know what you know from the media.” 

The WHO is awaiting more information from Russian officials regarding the incident, Van Kerkhove said. 

“We expect further answers from Russia. We did get some reports back from them following the IHR verification request, but not yet everything has been provided to us,” Van Kerkhove said.

Tedros added that the WHO has offered technical support related to plague and lab biosafety and biosecurity.

On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement, in part, that “at this time, there is no indication of a broader threat to the United States, but CDC and our interagency partners are prepared and will continue to monitor the situation closely.”

Plague is a disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, according to the CDC. There are three types of plague: bubonic, pneumonic and septicemic. Symptoms often include fever, chills and weakness. Plague can be treated with antibiotics. The earlier antibiotics are received, the higher the chances of a full recovery.

The U.S. averages about seven cases of plague each year, mostly in Western states, according to the CDC, which notes it has been more than a century since the U.S. has seen a documented case of person-to-person spread of plague.

ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency on Monday as neighboring Pennsylvania battles its largest measles outbreak in three decades.

As of Oct. 3, New York has recorded 108 measles cases so far this year, 92 of those since mid-July across 18 rural counties where communities are under-immunized, according to Hochul’s order.

“After reviewing the latest data on measles cases in New York State, I am declaring a state disaster emergency to strengthen our ongoing efforts to confront this disease,” Hochul said in a statement. “No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease.”

It marks the first time a state has issued an emergency order since measles cases began rising last year. At least 95% of measles cases in the U.S. have been among people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.

The order allows registered nurses to order the collection and testing of specimens for suspected measles cases.

Early symptoms include cough, runny nose, fever as high as 104 Fahrenheit and red, watery eyes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Two to three days after symptoms start, patients may develop Koplik spots, which are tiny white spots that may appear inside the mouth on the inner cheek.

Three to five days after symptoms start, patients may experience a rash, first appearing on the face at the hairline before moving downwards to the neck, chest, stomach, arms, legs and feet. Fever may spike even higher than 104 F when the rash appears, the CDC says.

The order, in effect until Nov. 4, allows pharmacists in New York to vaccinate ⁠children as young as age 2 with the MMR shot. It also expands who can administer MMR vaccines to include emergency medical technicians-paramedics, advanced EMS and midwives.

Additionally, it suspends a previous requirement that health care professionals who administer vaccines to those aged 19 and older receive consent before reporting vaccination to New York City or New York State immunizations registries. All MMR vaccinations of children and adults must be reported within 72 hours.

“Department staff are working closely with local health departments and regional partners to track and contain the current measles outbreak,” Dr. James McDonald, commissioner for the New York State Department, said in a statement. “The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is the best protection — protecting nearly all people against disease who receive the recommended doses.”

The state said it has administered more than 1,000 MMR shots in rural areas since July.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania health officials are now reporting more than 1,000 measles cases. Nearly 200 people have been hospitalized and the state has reported five measles-associated deaths, which is the most any state has reported in over 30 years.

This outbreak follows a trend of growing outbreaks in the U.S. over the last two years.

Earlier this year, South Carolina reported the end to a measles outbreak of 997 cases. Last year, Texas reported an outbreak of 762 cases.

Nationally, nearly 4,000 cases have been confirmed this year in the U.S., with infections reported in almost every state, according to the CDC. It’s the highest number of illnesses from measles since 1991.

The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective in preventing measles infection, and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says.

Infants aged 6 to 11 months living in or traveling to high-risk outbreak areas may receive an early third dose of the MMR vaccine.

However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years. During the 2025-26 school year, 92.4% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine, according to data. This is lower than the 95.2% seen in the 2019-20 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

School vaccine exemptions also reached a record high last school year. Recent CDC data showed that vaccine exemptions for kindergarteners increased to 4.2% during the 2025-26 school year. This is up from 3.6% compared to the previous school year and 2.2% during the 2020-21 school year.

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Measles cases in Pennsylvania have surpassed 1,000 so far this year as the state continues to battle an outbreak of the virus.

Monday’s update from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) brings the total number of 2026 measles cases in the state to 1,004 across 39 counties.

At least 198 people have been hospitalized, and five measles-associated deaths have been reported, DOH data shows.

Two of the deaths were among unvaccinated adults: an 18-year-old and a 40-year-old. The other two deaths were among infants who were too young to have received the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The fifth death occurred in an unvaccinated resident of Lancaster County, in southeastern Pennsylvania, but it is unclear how old the individual is. Lancaster County is the epicenter of the state’s outbreak, with 391 cases confirmed so far.

Fewer than 1% of the state’s cases are among those who are fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine, according to DOH.

Last week, following confirmation of the fifth death by the Pennsylvania health department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told ABC News in a statement it was “deeply saddened to hear of another death” in the state.

“Under Secretary [Robert F.] Kennedy’s leadership, CDC has mounted an aggressive response to measles outbreaks across the country. Texas, South Carolina, Virginia, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wisconsin requested CDC Epi-Aids and worked alongside federal teams to help bring their outbreaks rapidly and successfully under control,” the statement read.

“CDC has not received a formal Epi-Aid request from Pennsylvania. If requested, CDC stands ready to deploy epidemiologists to support the state’s identified needs,” the statement continued.

A CDC Epi-Aid is a rapid, short-term field investigation from the federal health agency of an “urgent public health problem.” The Epi-Aid provides resources such as, but not limited to, increasing the workforce available for rapid response and building epidemiologic capacity, according to the CDC.

Meanwhile, measles cases in the U.S. have surpassed 3,800 so far in 2026, with cases confirmed in 45 states and Washington, D.C., according to the latest data from the CDC.

The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective in preventing measles infection and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says.

Infants aged 6 to 11 months living in or traveling to high-risk outbreak areas may receive an early, extra third dose of the MMR vaccine.

However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years. During the 2025 to 2026 school year, 92.4% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine, according to data. This is lower than the 95.2% seen in the 2019 to 2020 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Pennsylvania, more than 8,800 doses of the MMR vaccine have been administered by DOH staff. Of those doses, about 3,500 were administered in August and more than 2,500 were administered in September.

ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Friday it has found a potential source of the cyclosporiasis outbreak that was tied to lettuce over the summer.

The agency collected samples during its onsite inspections of Taylor Farms de Mexico facilities, it said.

Two samples tested positive for the parasite, Cyclospora, according to the FDA. One positive sample was from a tank that held outgoing wastewater from a processing facility, the agency said. The second positive sample was from a drainage ditch of an iceberg lettuce grower, it noted.

“While there is currently not enough evidence to conclusively determine how contamination occurred in this outbreak, the positive samples show that Cyclospora was present in the environment where lettuce was grown and processed,” the FDA wrote in an update on its website.

“This adds to the strong epidemiological data and traceback convergence supporting the link between this outbreak and recalled shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico,” the update continued.

The FDA said its investigation has closed. Health officials say they are confident that all recalled lettuce associated with this outbreak is off the market.  

In a statement, a Taylor Fresh Foods spokesperson said its facility in central Mexico remains closed as the company works with its research team to implement enhanced safety protocols.

“The independent grower where a positive sample was found is no longer part of our supplier program,” the spokesperson said. “The sample FDA referenced came from discharged waste and sewer water outside of our processing facility. As FDA noted in its report, there is currently not enough evidence to conclusively determine how contamination occurred or how results for these samples relate to ongoing genotyping of clinical specimens.”

The statement concluded: “We remain concerned for the people and families impacted by this outbreak. Millions of families rely on the safety of Taylor Farms produce and we take that responsibility seriously. We know trust is earned by what we do, and we will continue to learn, improve and take action to keep our food fresh and safe.” 

At least 12,883 people were infected with cyclosporiasis across 21 states after eating the recalled lettuce, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thousands more cases were reported but health officials noted difficulties in tying infections to the recalled foods.

A total of 570 people were hospitalized and two people in Michigan died.  

In mid-July, the FDA and the CDC announced they were investigating a multi-state outbreak of cyclosporiasis illnesses linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell restaurants.

The lettuce was supplied to Taco Bell by Taylor Farms and sourced from central Mexico.

Taylor Farms de Mexico issued a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico, with the recall affecting 27 states. The recalled products were distributed from June 29 through July 16 and have best-if-used-by dates up to Aug. 3.

Taco Bell said it is no longer using lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico at any of its restaurants.

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(NEW YORK) — San Francisco health officials this week reported the city’s first flu death of the 2026-27 flu season.

The person was an adult, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), but no other information was provided.

“This sad news reminds us that respiratory viruses such as flu and COVID should be taken very seriously, especially for people who are at higher risk of getting sick,” Dr. Susan Philip, San Francisco health officer, said in a statement on Thursday. “With fall festivities approaching, we want people to stay healthy and do all the fun and joyful things they want to do. Vaccines help make this happen.”

Data from the California Department of Public Health shows 26 individuals have died so far from flu statewide this season. It’s unclear if this total includes the San Francisco patient.

The deaths have occurred relatively early in the respiratory virus season. According to the official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tabulation, flu season doesn’t start for another two weeks.

Current levels of respiratory virus activity nationally are listed as “very low,” according to CDC data. 

Although flu circulates year-round, cases typically increase in the fall and winter months. The CDC advises that people get their flu vaccine before the end of October. 

Everyone over the age of 6 months is currently eligible for a flu vaccine. Older adults — over 65 years old — may be eligible for a higher dose version. 

The shots are available at most pharmacies and doctors’ offices. The flu vaccine is often free of charge, with most health insurance covering the shot. 

The SFDPH also recommends staying up to date with COVID and RSV vaccines in line with recommendations from the state’s health department.

The updated 2026-27 COVID vaccine is recommended for:

• Those ages 6 to 23 months and ages 65 and older
• Those ages 2 to 18 with risk factors or never vaccinated against COVID-19
• Those ages 19 to 64 with risk factors
• Anyone who is planning pregnancy, pregnant or postpartum
• Anyone in close contact with others with risk factors, including healthcare workers

The RSV vaccine is recommended for:

• Previously unvaccinated adults ages 75 and older, and ages 50 to 74 with risk factors
• Previously unvaccinated pregnant people 32 to 36 weeks gestation

Infants younger than 8 months whose mother did not receive a vaccine while pregnant and high-risk children ages 8 to 19 months are eligible to receive an injectable monoclonal antibody shot to protect against RSV.

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