Winter Is Coming: The Vaccines Adults Should Consider Before Respiratory Virus Season

Cold and flu season is approaching and one of the easiest ways to stay out of the emergency room or hospital this winter may take only a few minutes: make sure your vaccinations are up to date.

Every fall and winter, we see an increase in influenza, COVID-19, RSV, pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses. For many healthy adults, these infections may mean several miserable days at home. But as we get older or develop conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, obesity, kidney disease or a weakened immune system—the consequences can be much more serious.

At Beverly Hills Institute, our goal is not simply to treat illness after it occurs.

Preventive medicine means reducing your chances of becoming seriously ill in the first place.

Flu Is Not “Just the Flu”

During the 2024–2025 influenza season, the CDC estimated approximately:

• 51 million flu illnesses

• 23 million medical visits

• 710,000 hospitalizations

• 45,000 deaths

  
  

The same CDC analysis estimated that influenza vaccination prevented approximately 10 million illnesses, 5 million medical visits, 180,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths during that season.

Vaccination does not guarantee that you will never contract influenza. That's not the appropriate way to measure its value.

The more important question is:

If you become infected, are you less likely to become severely ill, end up in the emergency department, require hospitalization or die?

The evidence says yes.

The 2026–2027 Flu Vaccine Is Trivalent

All influenza vaccines in the United States for the 2026–2027 season are trivalent, designed to protect against three major influenza viruses expected to circulate this season.

Beverly Hills Institute currently has the 2026–2027 Flublok Trivalent Influenza Vaccine in stock.

This is indicated for all age groups, but in particular for adults 65 and older.

What About COVID-19?

COVID has not disappeared.

It continues to cause substantial illness, emergency visits, hospitalizations and deaths, particularly among older adults and people with underlying medical conditions.

Vaccination remains especially important for adults at higher risk of severe disease.

Beverly Hills Institute currently offers COVID-19 vaccines for our higher-risk adult patients.

We can review your age, medical conditions, prior vaccines and previous COVID infections to determine the appropriate timing for you.

RSV: An Important Vaccine Many Adults Still Don't Know About

Respiratory Syncytial Virus—or RSV—can cause serious respiratory illness in older adults.

Current recommendations include:

Age 75 and older: RSV vaccination is recommended.

Age 50–74: RSV vaccination is recommended for adults at increased risk for severe RSV disease.

Unlike influenza vaccination, RSV vaccination is not currently an annual vaccine. This vaccine is offered at most pharmacies.

Don't Forget Pneumonia and Shingles

Pneumococcal Vaccine — Starting at Age 50

Pneumococcus can cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections and meningitis.

Pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for all adults age 50 and older who have not previously received the appropriate vaccine, as well as younger adults with certain medical risk factors.

Shingles Vaccine — Starting at Age 50

Approximately 1 in 3 Americans will develop shingles during their lifetime.

The Shingrix vaccine is recommended as a two-dose series for adults 50 and older, and for certain immunocompromised adults beginning at age 19.

It is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and postherpetic neuralgia in immunocompetent adults 50 and older.

Your Adult Vaccine Checklist

Age 18–49

Annual influenza vaccine, updated COVID vaccine, Tdap/Td as appropriate, Hepatitis B when indicated, and HPV, MMR, varicella or other vaccines depending on age, prior immunization and risk factors.

Age 50–64

All of the above, plus Shingrix and pneumococcal vaccination. RSV vaccination should be considered if you have risk factors for severe RSV illness.

Age 65–74

Particular attention should be paid to influenza, COVID, pneumococcal and shingles vaccination. Enhanced influenza vaccines are preferred when available.

Age 75+In addition to the above, RSV vaccination is recommended if you have not previously received it.

Vaccines Are Important, But They Are Not the Only Way to Reduce Infection

Vaccination is one of our strongest tools for reducing severe illness, but everyday behavior also matters.

Respiratory viruses commonly spread through droplets, aerosols and contaminated hands or surfaces.

A few simple habits can meaningfully reduce your exposure:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. These are major entry points for respiratory viruses.

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

• When soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Avoid close contact with people who are actively ill, when possible.

• If you are sick, stay home and avoid exposing others, particularly older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow rather than your hands.

• Consider wearing a well-fitting mask in crowded indoor environments when respiratory viruses are circulating heavily or if you are at high risk for complications.

• Improve indoor ventilation when possible by opening windows, using appropriate air filtration and avoiding poorly ventilated crowded spaces.

• Regularly clean frequently touched surfaces such as phones, door handles and shared work areas.

• Maintain good sleep, adequate nutrition, hydration and regular exercise, which support overall immune function.

• If you develop symptoms, consider early testing for influenza or COVID, because antiviral treatment works best when started early.

  
  

These steps are especially important before travel, during holiday gatherings, and when spending time with elderly relatives or individuals with chronic medical conditions.

Social Media Is Not Medical Research

Vaccines have become one of the areas of medicine where a viral social-media post can sometimes receive more attention than decades of scientific research.

Popularity is not evidence.

A podcast, TikTok, Facebook post, Instagram reel or celebrity opinion does not carry the same scientific weight as controlled clinical trials involving thousands of people, ongoing safety surveillance involving millions of doses, peer-reviewed research and real-world hospitalization and mortality data.

It is entirely reasonable to ask questions about a vaccine.

In fact, you should ask questions.

But make health decisions based upon reliable evidence and a discussion with a medical professional who understands your health, not an algorithm designed to maximize clicks, shares and outrage.

Science is rarely about claiming that an intervention has zero risk or provides 100% protection. Medicine is about comparing risks and benefits.

When it comes to influenza, COVID-19, RSV, shingles and pneumococcal disease, the evidence demonstrates that vaccination can substantially reduce serious illness and, most importantly, help keep patients out of the emergency room and hospital.

Prevention Is the Goal

At Beverly Hills Institute, we believe that good medicine should be proactive rather than reactive.

It is far better to spend a few minutes preventing a serious infection than several days—or weeks recovering from one.

Before winter arrives, we encourage our patients to contact our office and allow us to review their immunization history. We can determine which vaccinations you need, which ones you don't need, and the optimal timing based on your age and individual medical history.

Beverly Hills Institute currently has the 2026–2027 Flublok Trivalent Influenza Vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine for high-risk adults in stock.

And remember: if you do become ill this winter, CALL US FIRST. 

Early diagnosis and treatment can often prevent an unnecessary urgent-care visit, emergency-room visit or hospitalization.

Stay protected.

Wash your hands.

Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth.

And when it comes to your health, trust evidence,

not social media.