The American Academy of Family Physicians is recommending COVID-19 shots for a broader group of Americans than current federal guidance.
The AAFP says all adults 18 and older, as well as children ages 6 to 23 months, should receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall. It especially urges seniors 65 and older, people ages 2 to 64 with risk factors, and those who are pregnant to get vaccinated.
While it stops short of recommending shots for all children, the group says vaccines should be available to any family that wants them.
Currently, the Food and Drug Administration authorizes COVID-19 shots for all adults 65 and older. People 6 months and older may be eligible if they have an underlying medical condition.
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Because updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2025–26 season have not yet received a final recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, access varies widely by state. In some states, pharmacies require a prescription for most people to get a shot.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is set to meet Sept. 18–19 to discuss the updated vaccine. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said COVID-19 shots would remain widely available for those who want them, but he has also replaced some committee members with vaccine skeptics after firing previous members.
In the absence of a CDC recommendation, some states are crafting their own rules to ensure vaccine availability. Questions remain about whether insurance companies will cover shots not recommended by the advisory committee.
Medical groups maintain that COVID-19 vaccines should remain covered by private insurance regardless of CDC guidance.
“History shows us that vaccines have eradicated diseases that were disabling and deadly in the past, and we can keep it that way, if we continue to vaccinate,” said Dr. Margot Savoy, chief medical officer of the AAFP. “Protecting public health is our collective responsibility. This fall and always, the AAFP stands with our members and public health partners to promote vaccine confidence and uptake.”
