ACP urges adults to get vaccinated during National Immunization Month
ACP's Adult Immunization Resource Hub includes information to assist physicians and their teams in assessing, understanding, and improving adult immunization rates.
August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and ACP is urging adults to get all recommended immunizations for protection against preventable diseases such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, pneumonia, and COVID-19. Patients should consult with their physician to determine which vaccines are recommended for them based on their age and risk conditions.
Despite vaccines being safe, effective, and protective against illness, CDC data show only 44.9% of U.S. adults ages 18 years and older received a flu vaccine during the 2023–2024 season, representing a 4.3% decrease from the previous season. Among specific age groups, vaccination rates were at 48.3% for adults ages 65 years and older and only 32.8% for those ages 18 to 49 years.
ACP's Adult Immunization Resource Hub includes information to assist physicians and their teams in assessing, understanding, and improving adult immunization rates and patient outcomes in their practices. The hub includes helpful clinical resources and links to ACP's latest vaccine-related advocacy efforts.
In a recent commentary published in Annals of Internal Medicine, Christine Laine, MD, MPH, FACP, Editor-in-Chief of Annals and Senior Vice President of ACP, and Amir Qaseem, MD, PhD, MHA, FACP, Chief Science Officer and Senior Vice President of ACP, expressed concern over the threat of continued vaccine misinformation and declining immunization rates. The 2025 CDC Adult Immunization Schedule is available for download within the commentary.