Key points
Updates for the 2025-2026 Flu Season
- 2025-2026 influenza vaccine recommendations have been published. A summary of those recommendations also is available.
- For the 2025-2026 flu season, CDC recommends seasonal flu vaccination for children, pregnant women, and adults with only single-dose formulations of flu vaccine that are free of thimerosal as a preservative.
- In September 2024, the FDA approved FluMist, the live attenuated influenza vaccine, for self- or caregiver administration.
- On March 13, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made recommendations to update the composition of 2025-2026 U.S. influenza vaccines.
- In March 2025, the FDA approved FluBlok, the recombinant influenza vaccine for use in people ages 9 and older. Previously this vaccine was approved for ages 18 years and older.
- Health care providers can support patients in making informed decisions about vaccinations.
Composition of 2025-2026 Flu Vaccines
All flu vaccines for the 2025-2026 season will be trivalent, which means they include three vaccine viruses. This means they are formulated to protect against three main seasonal influenza Type A and B viruses: an A(H1N1) virus, an A(H3N2) virus, and a B/Victoria lineage virus.
Flu vaccines for the U.S. 2025–2026 season will contain the following:
Egg-based vaccines
- an A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;
- an A/Croatia/10136RV/2023 (H3N2)-like virus; and (Updated)
- a B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus
Cell- or recombinant-based vaccines
- an A/Wisconsin/67/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;
- an A/District of Columbia/27/2023 (H3N2)-like virus; and (Updated)
- a B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus
Projected U.S. Flu Vaccine Supply for the 2025-2026 Season
- Vaccine manufacturers have projected that they will supply the United States with as many as 154 million doses of flu vaccine for 2025-2026. These projections may change as the season progresses. More information on the historical supply and distribution of seasonal flu vaccines in the United States is available at Historical Reference of Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Doses Distributed | Influenza (Flu) | CDC.
- Most of the projected influenza vaccine supply produced this influenza season does not contain thimerosal as a preservative.
Getting Your Flu Vaccine for Free or at Low Cost
Most health care insurance plans cover the annual flu vaccination as part of preventive care. Flu vaccination is often available at no or low cost to people who do not have insurance.
Vaccination information for children
If your child is insured:
- If your child is insured, most health care insurance plans cover flu vaccination at no cost to you. Check that your provider takes your child's insurance.
VFC Program
Flu vaccine is also available at no cost* to you through CDC's Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. A child must qualify for this program.
The VFC program serves children through 18 years of age who meet at least one of the following criteria:
- American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN)
- Medicaid-eligible
- Uninsured
- Underinsured
If your child is not insured:
- If your child is not insured, ask your child's doctor if they are a VFC provider or you can contact your state or local health department to find a VFC provider.
Vaccination for adults
- If you have insurance, your flu vaccine will likely be at no cost to you. Check that your provider takes your insurance.
- If the insurance does not cover flu vaccine or it has a fixed dollar limit or cap for vaccines, there may be options for no-cost or low-cost flu vaccination.
- If you don't have insurance, there may be options for no-cost or low-cost flu vaccination.
Where can you go for no-cost or low-cost flu vaccines:
- Your health provider
- Pharmacies
- Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)-supported health centers
- Employers, schools, and community organizations
- Local health departments
*You may be charged an office visit fee and/or admin fee.
FluMist for Self- or Caregiver-Administration
On September 20, 2024, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the nasal spray flu vaccine, FluMist, for self- or caregiver administration. FluMist is sprayed into the nose and is approved for the prevention of influenza in people 2 through 49 years of age who meet eligibility criteria. FluMist was formerly only available for administration by a health care provider in a health care setting (including a pharmacy). The option for self- or caregiver administration is available for the 2025-2026 flu season. People can administer the vaccine to themselves (if they are 18 through 49 years old) or it can be administered by a caregiver who is age 18 years or older (if the recipient is 2 through 17 years old). FluMist contains weakened live influenza viruses. FluMist vaccines have the same vaccine virus components as other flu vaccines. People with certain health conditions and pregnant women should not receive FluMist. More information on who should not get the nasal spray flu vaccine and precautions to the use of the nasal spray flu vaccine is available at Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine [LAIV] (The Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine).
Additional information on flu vaccines for the 2025-2026 flu season
Flu vaccine supply/availability during the 2025-2026 season
CDC is not aware of anticipated vaccine supply issues for the 2025-2026 season. More information on flu vaccine supply is available at Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Supply Frequently Asked Questions | Influenza (Flu) | CDC. While only single dose formulations of flu vaccines that are free of thimerosal as a preservative are recommended this season, those vaccines have previously made up the majority of flu vaccine supply. Multi-dose vials that contain thimerosal as a preservative are not recommended, but these have previously accounted for a small amount of the total flu vaccine supply.
There is no change in who can get flu vaccine
Flu vaccination continues to be recommended for everyone 6 months and older in the United States for 2025-2026, with rare exception for people who have contraindications. This recommendation has been in place since the 2010-2011 influenza season. More information is available at ACIP Recommendations Summary | Influenza (Flu) | CDC.
Pharmacists can still give flu vaccines
While laws on pharmacist administration of vaccines, including flu vaccines, vary by state, there has not been any change in the CDC flu recommendations that would change the ability of pharmacists to administer flu vaccines.
You don’t need a prescription for a flu vaccine
There is no prescription needed for a flu vaccine and no requirement that people speak to their doctor about or before getting a flu vaccine. However, your doctor knows your health condition best and is the best person to give you medical advice. Your doctor can answer any questions you might have about the pros and cons of flu vaccination, or which flu vaccine might be best for you based on your unique circumstances. Like any vaccine, flu vaccine can have side effects and in some rare instances serious side effects. More information on seasonal flu vaccines is available at Seasonal Flu Vaccine Basics | Influenza (Flu) | CDC
Additional information on flu testing for the 2025-2026 flu season
At-Home Flu Tests
There are tests that can detect flu A and B viruses, and SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in upper respiratory tract specimens for home use. CDC does not have specific guidance for the use of at-home flu tests. CDC recommends people at higher risk of serious flu complications seek medical care promptly for flu-like symptoms to determine if they need antiviral medications.
Medical providers can test or diagnose and treat also. Providers do not need to test in order to treat for flu. In fact, CDC recommends that if a clinician suspects flu in patients who are at increased risk of serious flu complications, they should begin treatment immediately. If you test positive for flu using one of these home-based tests and are at higher risk of serious flu complications, call contact your doctor as soon as possible to ask about treatment with flu antiviral drugs. More information on CDC's flu treatment recommendations is available at Treating Flu with Antiviral Drugs | Influenza (Flu) | CDC.