Director Vohra on IDPH Fall Immunization Guidance

Director Vohra on IDPH Fall Immunization Guidance

Dear Colleagues,

As the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), I am endorsing the immunization recommendations approved by the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee (IL-IAC) on September 9, 2026, ensuring that Illinois residents have evidence-informed and science-based immunization recommendations.

This endorsement includes immunization recommendations for the 2026-2027 fall respiratory virus season for residents of all ages, as well as the adoption of the routine, non-seasonal immunization guidance in the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Adult Immunization Schedule and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Maternal Immunization Schedule. I am issuing this guidance after the IL-IAC's examination and evaluation of the methodology used by each medical society to issue their recommendations demonstrated rigorous scientific review and analysis.

Under the provisions of Public Act 104-0439, signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker on December 2, 2025, IDPH is empowered to issue transparent, science-based immunization guidance through the IL-IAC.

Accompanying these recommendations, I am also issuing a standing order to reduce barriers to accessing the COVID-19 vaccine statewide. The standing order allows the COVID-19 vaccine to be offered at additional locations across the state.

The following is a summary of the immunization recommendations for the 2026-2027 fall respiratory virus season:

• Flu vaccination is recommended for all people ages 6 months and older.
• RSV immunization is recommended for:
  • All pregnant people during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy if not previously vaccinated. The maternal vaccination season has been extended and should go from September through March 1^st.
  • 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 and entering their second RSV season.
  • Adults ages 50 years through 74 years at increased risk of severe RSV disease if not previously vaccinated.
  • All adults ages 75 years and older if not previously vaccinated.
• COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for:
  • All children ages 6 months through 23 months.
  • Children ages 2 years through 18 years in certain risk groups, or if desired.
  • All pregnant people and those who are planning pregnancy, those who are postpartum (after pregnancy), or during lactation.
  • All adults 19 years and older.

IDPH's endorsement of the 2026-2027 respiratory immunization schedule and the adoption of the AAFP and ACOG routine immunization schedules is a continuation of actions we first began in 2025, based on the federal government making immunization recommendations not based on the full weight of scientific evidence or remaining silent on critical immunization decisions. The latest of these non-scientific recommendations was the Presidential Executive Order on August 10, 2026, aiming to significantly alter the childhood routine immunization schedule. IDPH reaffirmed our existing endorsement of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) immunization schedule the following day. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has not made any recommendations for the 2026-2027 respiratory season.

The routine schedules for adults and pregnant individuals the IL-IAC recommended, and I am endorsing today, are not different from the routine schedules IDPH endorsed last year. However, our decisions now aim to provide the same greater clarity, consistency, and stability to our adult and maternal vaccination schedules that we provided to our childhood vaccination schedule in February 2026. The ILIAC's adoption of the AAP, ACOG, and AAFP's schedules will stand as the IDPH routine immunization schedule, only changing with the emergence of newly established scientific evidence.

As I wrote in my Dear Colleague letter in February, IDPH will continue to convene the IL-IAC in the months and years ahead in an effort to maintain the credibility of Illinois immunization recommendations and enhance their consistency and clarity. Science is not static, and we understand that it will be important to constantly review these recommendations in the months and years ahead to ensure that the Department recommends the most up-to-date schedules to protect you, your families, and your patients.

As the year concludes and we move into 2027, IDPH will plan to convene the IL-IAC on a more routine cadence, ensuring that our meetings review new and emerging immunization evidence and Illinois-specific data. Our meetings will review our current routine schedules as appropriate, provide yearly fall respiratory immunization guidance, and also begin sharing stories of innovative immunizations practices in our communities that are helping to improve the health of Illinois.

IDPH has been very fortunate to work with all of you to build the capability and capacity to provide up-to-date, credible, and scientific immunization information. Under Governor Pritzker's leadership and fueled by the power of your partnership, IDPH has been able to respond to federal changes, build a process to provide residents with gold-standard immunization recommendations, and increase access to immunizations for individuals in need. We are thankful to the IL-IAC and so many other statewide partners who guide us in doing what is best to protect our Illinois residents.

The bottom line remains unchanged. Immunizations save lives and protect communities, and Illinois residents need the most up-to-date information to make the best decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities. IDPH recommends that our healthcare providers promote and offer these evidence-based vaccinations to keep their patients healthy. We look forward to working with the health care provider community this 2026-2027 respiratory virus season to help keep our Illinois population safe and mitigate the risk of severe illness in as many residents as possible.

In closing, I want to reaffirm that our commitment to be a source of credible, transparent, and science-based information for all of you. Our decision-making process is not a one-time occurrence. It is part of all we do to be true to our mission and build brighter futures for all our residents. Thank you for joining us on this journey, and we look forward to our continued work together to protect Illinois residents today and prepare them for tomorrow.

Yours in good health,

Sameer Vohra, MD, JD, MA
Director, Illinois Department of Public Health