I don’t know about you, but just when you think you’ve finally caught up, COVID-19 vaccination guidance changes again and there’s another update worth your attention. If your community has been trying to keep one eye on vaccination expectations and the other on what respiratory viruses are doing across the country, you are not alone. The CDC’s updated NHSN guidance on key terms for reporting up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination status now says that for Quarter 1 of 2026, individuals age 65 and older are considered up to date if they have received two doses of the 2025-2026 vaccine or one dose within the past six months, while individuals younger than 65 are up to date with one dose of the 2025-2026 vaccine. The document also reminds communities that timing matters when counting residents in the up-to-date category after a positive test.
At the same time, the broader respiratory picture still deserves your attention. The CDC Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel tracking current virus activity is a good reminder that this is not the season to rely on assumptions or old habits. Communities need to keep watching what is happening nationally, in their state, and in their own buildings. When flu, RSV, and COVID-19 activity continue to shift, leaders need current information so they can respond with clarity rather than guesswork.
What I like about these CDC resources is that they give you both the “what” and the “now what.” The data page points users to vaccination trends, severity trends, variants, wastewater signals, and even nursing home data on vaccinations, cases, and hospitalizations. That means leaders do not have to guess whether respiratory activity is shifting. They can monitor the trends and adjust communication, surveillance, and infection prevention efforts accordingly. If you need a practical refresher for staff, the AMA Ed Hub CDC Project Firstline session on respiratory infections and outbreaks in long-term care focuses on prevention, recognition, testing, treatment, vaccination, and infection prevention and control in a way that feels useful for day-to-day operations, not just theory.
The bottom line is this: keeping up with COVID-19 vaccination guidance is only one piece of the puzzle. Your community also needs a steady pulse on flu, RSV, COVID-19 trends, and the everyday infection prevention practices that help care for the resident. If nothing else, this is a good time to make sure your staff knows where to look, what has changed, and how those changes affect practice in your community.
Stay well and stay informed!
