Essential Flu and RSV Guidelines for the 2024-2025 Respiratory Virus Season: Stay Healthy and Informed

Essential Flu and RSV Guidelines for the 2024-2025 Respiratory Virus Season: Stay Healthy and Informed

November 26, 2024 Catherine Williams - Chief Editor Health

Updates on Vaccines for Respiratory Viruses

A presentation at the National Community Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting focused on vaccinations for the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). David Ha, PharmD, discussed key information and recent updates from the CDC.

Influenza

Influenza season has not peaked yet, but it is approaching. Ha urged those who have not received their flu shot to do so quickly. The 2024-2025 flu vaccine has shifted from a quadrivalent to a trivalent format, targeting three specific strains: A/H1N1 (Victoria), A/H3N2 (Thailand), and B/Austria (Victoria-like lineage).

Vaccination is recommended for all individuals aged 6 months and older. Adults aged 65 and older should receive a high-dose, adjuvanted, or recombinant vaccine. New guidelines also allow solid-organ transplant recipients to receive these high-dose vaccines.

Patients with egg allergies can safely receive any flu vaccine without special precautions.

Self-Administered Influenza Vaccines

The first FDA-approved self-administered flu vaccine, FluMist, is now available for individuals aged 2 to 49 years who are not pregnant or immunocompromised. Though it will not be available for the 2024-2025 season, it is expected for the 2025-2026 season, benefiting pediatric patients.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

RSV vaccination is crucial, accounting for significant health impacts each year, including thousands of deaths and hospitalizations. Older adults, particularly those in long-term care facilities, are most at risk.

Recent ACIP recommendations include:

  • Adults aged 75 and older: Routine RSV vaccination is recommended.
  • Adults aged 60 to 74: Vaccination is recommended for those at high risk, such as those with chronic medical conditions or living in care facilities.
  • Previously vaccinated individuals: No repeat vaccination is required.

For healthy adults aged 60 to 74, CDC does not currently recommend routine vaccination. Future evaluations may expand recommendations for this age group.

One RSV vaccine, the bivalent RSV vaccine Abrysvo, is approved for use in pregnant women. During the last season, 17.8% of pregnant women received it, protecting many infants from RSV. The CDC advises administering one dose of this vaccine between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation if it has not been given previously.

Data shows that preterm birth risks associated with the vaccine have not been statistically significant, with recent rates falling within expected limits.

These developments provide critical information for healthcare providers and the community regarding vaccination strategies for this respiratory virus season.