Flu, COVID and RSV shots in NYC this fall: who qualifies under New York’s own vaccine advice
New York now tells every adult to get a COVID-19 shot each year, going further than the federal advice. Here is who should get which vaccine and what to expect when you book.
Every adult in New York is now advised to get a COVID-19 shot once a year, and everyone 6 months and older should get an updated flu vaccine, as the city moves into its fall and winter virus season. Most pharmacies and healthcare providers already have flu shots available.
When flu, RSV and COVID season peaks in New York
The CDC says flu and RSV, short for respiratory syncytial virus, tend to spread from October to May, with the worst weeks usually falling in December and January. COVID-19 keeps a different calendar. Since 2020 it has surged roughly twice a year, first in summer and again in winter. City figures show COVID-19 emergency room visits rising since late June, consistent with a summer wave.
Experts frame vaccination as a way to protect the whole household. Dr. Kaylan Christianer, a physician who also teaches medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, advises people to weigh the health of those they live with, along with their loved ones, when they decide.
Who can get a COVID shot in NYC this year
Federal guidance is missing this fall. The CDC, in the middle of major overhauls, has not put out new COVID-19 advice, and nobody yet knows if it will. Several national medical groups published vaccine recommendations of their own, and New York’s city and state health departments aligned with them, stepping away from the federal agency. The CDC’s position since 2025 limits its default COVID-19 advice to two groups: seniors and anyone living with a chronic medical condition. New York’s guidance is broader and calls for a yearly shot for every adult.
That gap can surface when you book online with a national chain such as Walgreens, which may ask screening questions. Epidemiologist Dr. Marisa Donnelly said that in New York State “you can legally get a COVID vaccine even if you don’t have one of the underlying risk factors.” Booking through one of those company websites, she said, will probably still require you to select a risk factor, though none is needed.
For flu, the city Health Department calls the annual shot the best protection available: it cuts your chances of catching the virus and of complications serious enough to send you to the hospital or, in severe cases, to prove fatal. Because the flu virus keeps evolving, the vaccine is updated for each new season. RSV eligibility is harder to sort out than the rules for flu or COVID-19.
Quick answers
Who should get a COVID-19 shot in New York this fall?
New York's guidance recommends an annual COVID-19 shot for all adults, broader than the federal advice.
Do I need a risk factor to get a COVID vaccine at a New York pharmacy?
No. In New York State you can legally get the shot without a risk factor, though national chains' booking sites may still ask you to select one.
When is flu season in NYC?
Flu and RSV usually spread from October to May, with the worst weeks in December and January, according to the CDC.
