Senior Health in Chongyang Season: CDC Preferentially Recommends Three Flu Vaccines for Adults 65 and Older, With September–October the Ideal Window
ATLANTA — The Double Ninth Festival arrives as flu season begins in the Northern Hemisphere. In clinical considerations published September 2, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) preferentially recommends three influenza vaccines for adults age 65 and older: Fluzone High-Dose, Flublok (recombinant) and Fluad (adjuvanted). The CDC also states that if none of the preferentially recommended vaccines is available, another age-appropriate flu vaccine should be given rather than delaying vaccination.
According to Immunize.org's summary of CDC guidance, last reviewed October 11, 2026, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) includes the same three products as preferred options for adults 65 and older, and also includes mFlusiva, an mRNA flu vaccine licensed in August 2026 for adults age 50 and older; the CDC's September 2 clinical considerations did not include information on mFlusiva. The CDC and medical societies recommend that most people who need only one dose of flu vaccine be vaccinated ideally in September or October, and that vaccination continue after October as long as influenza viruses are circulating and unexpired vaccine is available.
The CDC estimates that in recent years, people 65 and older have accounted for roughly 70% to 85% of seasonal flu-related deaths and 50% to 70% of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations, the greatest burden of severe flu disease of any age group. The National Council on Aging's (NCOA) flu vaccine guide for older adults echoes the CDC's three preferred vaccines and advises older adults to talk with a healthcare provider about which vaccine is right for them.
Source: Compiled from the CDC's 2026–2027 seasonal flu clinical considerations (September 2), Immunize.org's Ask the Experts (reviewed October 11) and the NCOA guide for older adults.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：医护人员为民众接种流感疫苗（资料图，摄于 Hawaii 的美国海军医疗诊所）。图片来源：美国海军官方照片（公共领域），经维基共享资源。Photo: A flu vaccination being administered at Naval Health Clinic Hawaii (file photo). Image: U.S. Navy photo (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.
