Seasonal respiratory vaccines
Three viruses are a major cause of respiratory illness in the fall and winter seasons: influenza (flu), COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). During the fall and winter months, these viruses become more common, and can all cause mild to severe illness, including hospitalization and death.
Getting vaccinated is the best defense against seasonal viral illnesses, and is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of serious complications, including infants and very young children, older adults, and people whose immune systems aren’t working as well as they should. This could be from a health condition (autoimmune disease, cancer, or pregnancy) or the medications they are on to treat another health condition (immunosuppressive medications and chemotherapy). Talk to your health care provider about staying up to date on your immunizations.
2025–2026 Colorado Respiratory Vaccine Recommendations
Children
All 6 months or older
Pregnancy
All who are pregnant, planning pregnancy, postpartum, or lactating
Adults
All
Children
All younger than 8 months1 October through March
All 8–19 months with risk factors2 October through March
Pregnancy
All between 32–36 weeks of pregnancy from September through January who have not received RSV vaccine before1
Adults
All 75 years and older who have not received RSV vaccine before
All 50–74 years with risk factors who have not received RSV vaccine before
Children
All 6–23 months
All 2–18 years with risk factors or never vaccinated against COVID-19
All who have household contacts with risk factors3
All whose parent or guardian desires their protection3
Pregnancy
All who are pregnant, planning pregnancy, postpartum, or lactating
Adults
All 65 years and older
All younger than 65 years with risk factors or never vaccinated against COVID-19
All who have household contacts with risk factors
All who desire protection
1Protect infants with either prenatal RSV vaccine or infant dose of a monoclonal antibody.
2Only nirsevimab is recommended for 8-19 months with risk factors.
3COVID-19 vaccine is available for anyone 6 months and older.
What your doctor wants you to know
Our stance on vaccines
Colorado remains committed to protecting the health of our residents by following scientific evidence and public health best practices. Regardless of developments at the federal level, our vaccine recommendations and disease-prevention strategies are grounded in data, transparency, and expert guidance to ensure Coloradans continue to have access to safe and effective prevention tools.