CDPH Endorses Vaccine Guidance for 2025-'26 Respiratory Virus Season

CHICAGO - The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) endorses the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) vaccine recommendations for the 2025-26 respiratory season. These recommendations, which were adopted by IDPH on September 23, 2025, are the product of detailed review of Illinois and national data, guidance documents from national medical societies, and other state and federal recommendations by the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee (IL-IAC), a group of 20 highly qualified experts spanning epidemiology, infectious diseases, pediatrics, family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, nursing, pharmacy, and public health.

• Flu vaccination is recommended for all people ages 6 months and older.
• COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for:
  • All children ages 6 months through 23 months.
  • Children ages 2 years through 17 years who have at least one underlying risk factor, who have weakened immune systems, who have never been previously vaccinated for COVID-19, who live in congregate settings, or who live in households with those at risk for severe COVID-19.
  • Children ages 2 years through 17 years without underlying risk factors whose parents/guardians want them to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • All pregnant people and those who are planning pregnancy, those who are postpartum (after pregnancy), or during lactation.
  • All adults 18 years and older.
• RSV immunization is recommended for:
  • All pregnant people during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy.
  • All infants under the age of 8 months without maternal RSV vaccine protection entering their first RSV season.
  • Children ages 8 months through 19 months who are at increased risk for severe RSV disease.
  • Adults ages 50 years through 74 years at increased risk of severe RSV disease.
  • All adults ages 75 years and older.

"CDPH is committed to ensuring that life-saving vaccines are available to all Chicagoans who want them," said Dr. Olusimbo Ige, CDPH Commissioner. "We look forward to providing these vaccines this fall and working to ensure our residents are protected against preventable respiratory illnesses this season."

CDPH provides updated 2025-26 flu and COVID-19 vaccines at no cost to Chicago residents at our standing Immunization Walk-In Clinicsas well as mobile and pop-up vaccination events across the city, including a series of events at each of Chicago's City Collegesin October and November. CDPH currently has updated seasonal flu vaccines for anyone 6 months and older at immunization clinic sites. CDPH will begin COVID-19 vaccination at immunization clinic sites starting Monday, September 29 for everyone 12 years and older. CDPH will soon start vaccinating children 6 months to 11 years old once supply for this age group is available at CDPH Immunization clinics.

For more information on vaccine recommendations, see the IDPH press release on 2025-26 vaccine guidance, as well as the State of Illinois Standing Order on Administering Vaccine. CDPH maintains a public Respiratory Virus dashboard, summarizing COVID, flu, and RSV activity levels in Chicago on a weekly basis.

###