CDC Urges Health Professionals to Underscore Importance of Vaccines Ahead of Holiday Gatherings

As the holiday season approaches—and rates of infectious respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19, influenza, and RSV increase in more than half of the US—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging medical professionals to spread messages about the need for patients to get vaccinated before large holiday gatherings.

The CDC has provided the following messages and resources that health providers, including surgeons, can use to guide discussions about vaccinations in the coming weeks.

Key Vaccination Messages and Tools from the CDC (reproduced with permission)

The optimal time to immunize patients against the fall/winter respiratory viruses this holiday season is now, and the US is falling behind in some populations.Why?

Viral respiratory season has arrived and is expected to worsen over the next several weeks in much of the country. See how your state is doing.
Rates of vaccination for some populations are lagging years past. Rates of vaccination for the updated COVID-19 vaccine are <15% for people under age 65 years.

Why some people aren’t up to date on their vaccines, what we can do to protect them, and some new tools based on provider demand.

What patients are saying	What providers can do	Tools for providers
“I didn’t know it was recommended for me.”	Make a strong recommendation, like “You are due for your flu and COVID-19 vaccines today. I’ve gotten these vaccines myself and recommend them for you too.”	Conversation Guide
“It’s not top of mind/I keep forgetting.”	Send a message to your patients now via your patient portal or text message to remind them about the importance of getting vaccinated now.	Script for patient portal message in English and Spanish
“I’m worried about vaccine safety.”	Give your patients accurate and up-to-date information about vaccine benefits and safety.	Conversation Guide
“I don’t want to get the vaccine.”	Use motivational interviewing, starting with questions like “I hear you. If it’s okay with you, I would like to spend a few minutes talking more about fall and winter respiratory vaccines.”	Conversation Guide
“I’m worried about getting all three vaccines at once.”	Discuss the facts on coadministration and the most important thing—getting all recommended vaccines.	What to Know About Getting Flu, COVID-19, RSV Vaccines at the Same Time
“My child is healthy, so they don’t need the vaccines.”	Let families know that while children with some health conditions are at higher risk of getting very sick, more than half of the children under age 2 hospitalized for COVID-19 and then admitted to the ICU were otherwise healthy.	Conversation Guide

You can find other materials in the Preparing Your Patients for the Fall and Winter Virus Season healthcare provider toolkit. For example, this Respiratory Diseases At-A-Glance resource includes key vaccine recommendations and links.

3. For patients at risk of severe respiratory disease, vaccination is particularly urgent. Additional resources for these groups include the Viral Respiratory Pathogens Toolkit for Nursing Homes (cdc.gov). Healthcare providers are patients' most trusted source of information for how to protect themselves and their loved ones against these respiratory viruses.

Visit the CDC website for more information.