New Survey: Most US Adults Support Vaccines, but Many Remain Unclear About Respiratory Vaccine Recommendations

Support for vaccines is high — vaccination isn't. More than half of US adults did not try to get a flu, COVID-19, RSV, or pneumococcal vaccine in the past year, and many remain unsure which ones are recommended for them

NFID launches National Respiratory Communications Initiative to help deliver clear, consistent, evidence-based guidance on respiratory disease prevention

• New national survey released at NFID's 2026 Annual Respiratory Season Kick-Off in Washington, DC, finds US adults support vaccines but are unclear which ones they need. Most adults back vaccination broadly — yet less than half say they tried to get a flu, COVID-19, RSV, or pneumococcal vaccine this past year, and many cannot say which are recommended for them.
• The gap isn't hesitancy — it's clarity. People are unsure which recommendations apply to them, and roughly 1 in 5 who tried to get vaccinated ran into a problem.
• Experts from AAFP, ACEP, AHIP, and Families Fighting Flu urged Americans to talk with a healthcare professional about which vaccines are right for them — the source adults say they trust most.
• To close that gap, NFID launched the National Respiratory Communications Initiative (NRCI) at the event, uniting leading immunization, infectious disease, patient advocacy, and public health organizations behind clear, consistent guidance — with new resources for families and healthcare professionals at www.TameIt.org.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Although most US adults recognize the value of vaccines, many remain unsure which respiratory vaccines are recommended for them, and less than half say they tried to get vaccinated against influenza (flu), COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or pneumococcal disease in the past year, according to new survey results released today by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID). The findings reveal a notable gap between Americans' positive views of vaccines and their understanding of which vaccines apply to them, underscoring the need for clear, trusted guidance.

The national survey, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, found that 77% of US adults agree vaccines are among the best and most proven ways to protect against serious infectious disease, and 71% agree that vaccine benefits strongly outweigh the risks. Yet just 48% tried to get at least one of four respiratory vaccines — flu, COVID-19, RSV, or pneumococcal — in the past year.

"Getting vaccinated can help protect against potentially serious respiratory diseases, preventing severe cases, hospitalizations, and deaths," said Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., MD, NFID Medical Director. "The NFID survey results underscore how important it is to talk with a trusted healthcare professional to find out which vaccines are right for you and your family."

The findings were released at the 2026 NFID Annual Respiratory Season Kick-Off in Washington, DC, where leading health experts emphasized that everyone age 6 months and older, including pregnant women, should get an annual flu vaccine. Representatives from leading medical societies also reviewed updated COVID-19, RSV, and pneumococcal vaccination recommendations and urged people at higher risk, including older adults and those with certain chronic health conditions, to talk with a healthcare professional about what's right for them.

"Getting vaccinated before respiratory virus season is one of the best ways we can stay healthy and protect the people we love," said Margot Savoy, MD, MPH, FAAFP, Chief Medical Officer at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). "Vaccination remains a safe and effective way to lower our risk of serious illness. They help us look out for babies, people with weakened immune systems and older or medically frail adults who are at greater risk of serious illness. It's a small action that can make a meaningful difference for our families and communities."

New Survey Highlights Gap Between Support for Vaccines and Respiratory Vaccination

Among the key findings:

• Americans overwhelmingly recognize the value of vaccines. Nearly 9 in 10 (89%) agree that anyone who wants access to a vaccine should be able to get one, 77% say vaccines are among the best and most proven ways to protect against serious infectious diseases, and 71% say vaccine benefits strongly outweigh the risks. 
• That support doesn't always turn into vaccination — less than half of US adults say they tried to get a respiratory vaccine in the past year. Forty-four percent tried to get a flu vaccine and only 23% a COVID-19 vaccine.
• Healthcare professionals remain the most trusted source of vaccine information. Roughly 6 in 10 US adults report a great deal or a lot of trust in doctors, nurses, and pharmacists for vaccine information. 
• Many Americans underestimate the toll of respiratory disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated approximately 710,000 flu-related hospitalizations during the 2024–2025 season. Only 11% of adults surveyed selected a range close to that figure, and half put the number below 400,000.
• Access barriers can have lasting effects. While most vaccination attempts went smoothly, 22% of people who tried to get at least one respiratory vaccine encountered a problem (e.g., lack of availability, long wait time, etc.) — most often among those seeking pneumococcal vaccination (27%) or RSV vaccination (23%). Those findings point to a practical opportunity, since most people seek vaccination at a pharmacy or a clinician's office.

"Vaccines remain one of the most effective tools we have for protecting public health, and health plans are committed to keeping them affordable and accessible for their members," said Kate Berry, MPP, Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Strategic Partnerships at America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).

"Respiratory season is notoriously unpredictable, but there are a few things we can count on. Respiratory viruses cause millions of medical visits, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and tens of thousands of deaths every year, but the best way to avoid becoming a statistic is through vaccination," said Anne Schuchat, MD, former CDC Principal Deputy Director.

"Many flu emergencies are preventable. The best prevention for severe illness, hospitalizations, and complications is getting your flu vaccine. Get vaccinated and help protect yourself and those around you," said Ryan A. Stanton, MD, FACEP, President-Elect of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

Also joining today's news briefing was Gary Stein, of Families Fighting Flu, who helped create the nonprofit after his daughter died from influenza. Some panelists got vaccinated at a vaccine clinic following the news briefing as part of the NFID Leading By Example initiative to raise awareness about the importance of disease prevention through vaccination.

NRCI Delivers Clear, Consistent Respiratory Disease Guidance

The survey findings underscore the need for clear, trusted guidance as many US adults remain uncertain about which vaccines are recommended for them and underestimate the true burden of these diseases. To help address this need, NFID launched the National Respiratory Communications Initiative (NRCI) at the briefing, in collaboration with the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM), Immunize.org/National Adult Influenza and Immunization Summit, and Vaccinate Your Family.

The initiative brings together leading immunization, infectious disease, patient advocacy, and public health organizations to ensure that evidence-based information about respiratory disease prevention, including flu, COVID-19, RSV, and pneumococcal disease, is clear, consistent, and accessible for everyone.

The new NRCI website — www.TameIt.org — equips individuals, families, and healthcare professionals with the information they need to make informed respiratory health decisions, including original one-pagers, social content, and partner resources that illustrate the importance of immunization in preventing severe disease outcomes.

Immunization is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of serious respiratory illness," said NFID Executive Director and CEO Rebecca Alvania, PhD, MA, MPH. "Yet fragmented public education efforts can make it hard for trusted information to break through. We are excited to collaborate with NRCI partners to address this critical need."

For more information about the 2026 NFID survey and respiratory disease prevention, visit www.nfid.org/2026RespiratoryKickOff. For NRCI resources, visit www.TameIt.org.

About the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
Founded in 1973, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating and engaging the public, communities, and healthcare professionals about infectious diseases across the lifespan. NFID has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and has earned a Platinum transparency seal from Candid/GuideStar. For more information, and to access trusted science-based resources on immunization for both healthcare professionals and the public, visit www.nfid.org.

About the 2026 NFID National Survey
The NFID survey was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago using the AmeriSpeak Omnibus®, NORC's probability-based panel designed to be representative of the US household population. Interviews were conducted August 13-17, 2026, with adults age 18 years and older across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. A total of 1,206 adults completed the survey. The overall margin of sampling error is ±3.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, including the design effect. 

About the National Respiratory Communications Initiative (NRCI)
NRCI is a coalition of leading immunization, infectious disease, patient advocacy, and public health organizations working together to make evidence-based respiratory disease prevention guidance clear, consistent, and accessible for the public and healthcare professionals alike.

This news briefing is sponsored by NFID in collaboration with professional societies and patient advocacy partners, in-kind support from Walmart and Sanofi Vaccines, and unrestricted educational grants from AstraZeneca, Merck & Co., Inc., Pfizer Inc., and Sanofi US. NFID policies prohibit funders from controlling program content.

The National Respiratory Communications Initiative (NRCI) is sponsored by NFID, with unrestricted educational grants from: Champions: Sanofi US, Merck & Co., Inc., Pfizer Inc.; Supporters: CSL Seqirus, GSK; Contributor: ModernaTX, Inc. NFID policies prohibit funders from controlling program content.

Media Contact:
Dan Lemle, [email protected]

SOURCE National Foundation for Infectious Diseases