CHICAGO, Oct. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the American Lung Association launched a new campaign aimed at educating the public on the importance of staying up to date on recommended vaccinations for the upcoming respiratory virus season. This guidance is especially critical for the more than 35 million people in the United States living with chronic lung disease and the 235,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer each year, who are at higher risk for severe illness.
“Vaccines are the most effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones from potentially life-threatening illnesses. They are a critical first line of defense for individuals at high risk, including people living with lung cancer and chronic lung disease, as well as close contacts of people with weakened immune systems,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. “The American Lung Association is committed to raising awareness around the role of vaccines to prevent severe illness and save lives. With this new campaign, we are sharing trusted, science-based information about how vaccines help keep families and communities healthy.”
While anyone can get sick from an infectious respiratory illness, some individuals are at increased risk of developing severe illness. Risk factors include age, underlying medical conditions, including chronic lung disease or lung cancer, and a weakened immune system, and limited access to care.
Each year, preventable respiratory diseases like influenza (flu), COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cause spikes in severe illness and hospitalizations. According to the Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Network provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between October 2024 and August 2025, an estimated 931,000 children and adults were hospitalized due to the flu, COVID-19 and RSV. The CDC classified last year’s flu season as a “high-severity season,” with up to 130,000 deaths. For COVID-19, the CDC reported up to 4.8 million outpatient visits, up to 540,000 hospitalizations and up to 63,000 deaths. Additionally, 65% of COVID-19 vaccine-eligible adults 65 or older who were hospitalized had no record of receiving the recommended COVID-19 vaccine last season.
The Lung Association encourages individuals to receive the following vaccines to prevent severe illness this respiratory virus season, which typically peaks from October through March:
- Flu: Everyone ages 6 months and older is recommended to get a flu shot annually.
- COVID-19: COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for everyone six months and older with shared clinical decision-making, which is a discussion between a patient or caregiver and their healthcare provider.
- RSV: All adults ages 50 to 74 who are at an increased risk of severe RSV illness, like adults living with chronic lung disease, and adults ages 75 or older are recommended to get a single RSV vaccine if they have not received one previously. Additional doses are not recommended.
As part of the campaign, the Lung Association will raise awareness about surveillance trends and the expected severity of the 2025-2026 respiratory virus season. The organization will also create a new educational resource on vaccines for people living with lung cancer and provide an educational webinar to individuals living with chronic lung disease and beyond.
Talk to your healthcare provider about what vaccines are recommended for you. For more information, contact the Lung Association’s HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA. To learn more about vaccines, visit Lung.org/vaccines.
Support for this new campaign was provided by Moderna.
About the American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org. To support the work of the American Lung Association, find a local event at Lung.org/events or donate today at Lung.org/donate.
American Lung Association • 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150 • Chicago, IL 60601
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1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) Lung.org
CONTACT:
Jill Dale | American Lung Association
P: 312-940-7001 M: 720-438-8289E: [email protected]
SOURCE American Lung Association
