Less than 20% of U.S. adults have received a COVID-19 vaccine this fall, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, despite guidance from the agency that everyone over six months of age get a shot annually. 

What You Need To Know

  •  A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted between Sept. 7 and Nov. 9, showed just 17.9% of adults over the age of 18 have received a COVID-19 shot this season while 34.7% have received a flu vaccine
  • The CDC characterized the immunization rates as “low” overall while, at the same time, noting those in the health care field “still have time” to ramp up efforts to vaccinate Americans ahead of the “height of the respiratory virus season"
  • The agency also sought to highlight, however, that a sizable portion of unvaccinated adults — 41% for COVID-19 and 35% for the flu — were open to getting a shot this season, with more than 10% saying they “definitely” plan on it
  • The CDC recommends everyone over six months of age get the influenza and COVID-19 shot annually

The survey, conducted between Sept. 7 and Nov. 9, showed just 17.9% of adults over the age of 18 have received a COVID-19 shot this season while 34.7% have received a flu vaccine. Less than 40% of seniors over the age of 75, who are at increased risk for a severe version of the disease, have received a shot for RSV at any point. 

The vaccination rate, the survey found, was the lowest across all three diseases for those who are uninsured. 

Despite the report showing that the COVID-19 vaccination rate among adults rose this year from the same time last season, in a summary of the survey’s findings, the CDC characterized the immunization rates as “low” overall.  At the same time, the agency noted those in the health care field “still have time” to ramp up efforts to vaccinate Americans ahead of the “height of the respiratory virus season.”

The agency also sought to highlight, however, that a sizable portion of unvaccinated adults — 41% for COVID-19 and 35% for the flu — were open to getting a shot this season, with more than 10% saying they “definitely” plan on it. 

But the COVID-19 vaccine also received the most reluctance in the survey, with more than 41% saying they probably or definitely will not get the shot. 

The CDC recommends everyone over six months of age get the influenza and COVID-19 shot annually. Those who are over 75 years old or 60 and older who are at increased risk should also receive one dose of the RSV vaccine. 

According to the agency, the vaccination rates for the flu thus far this respiratory season are similar to the rates seen at the same time last year but have dropped more than 4% from the 2022 season.  

Another report released by the CDC this week showed just 30% of nursing home residents, many of whom would be considered at a greater risk for severe disease, have received the COVID-19 vaccination this season. 

The reports come as immunizations in the U.S. have been in the spotlight following President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is well known for his skepticism of vaccines, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services next year. Kennedy still has to be approved by the Senate. Trump has not named a pick to lead the CDC yet.