Many folks think of fall as the time to get yearly shots. But between changing CDC guidelines, updated vaccines, or just not knowing what shots to get, some might find it confusing.

“It’s become more than the flu season. It’s now our fall vaccine season.” Says Erin Labat, an immunization program manager for Essentia Health. She says that yearly COVID and flu shots are important for the immune system.

“Over time, your antibody response starts to decrease. And so, to give you the best protection from both of these two, it is just recommended that we get a new vaccine every year just to protect against those most common strands.”

Currently, the CDC recommends annual COVID and Flu vaccines. For some pregnant women and adults over 60, an RSV shot is recommended as well. Beginning October 1, shots for infants whose mothers weren’t vaccinated against RSV will be eligible for a shot as well.

“Everyone over the age of six months should get a flu vaccine to help prevent flu and to help prevent serious complications from flu.” Says infectious disease physician Andrew Thompson, who also recommends updated COVID shots as well.

 “COVID-19 has a new booster. This was recently updated and approved a few weeks ago. And this is targeted against newly circulating variants of COVID. So it’s more effective than the vaccine that we gave last year in the sense that it acts against the currently circulating variant.”

But when it comes when it comes to that new vaccine, many are hesitant. In Minnesota, just 14 percent of people are up to date on their COVID boosters, that’s according June data from the Minnesota Department of Health.

“I think there’s some amount of fatigue. It’s hard to keep track. ‘Have I had a booster?’ ‘Am I due for another booster?’ ‘Nobody told me to get a booster.’ This has been a very rapidly changing disease. And so, staying up to date is hard,” says Dr. Thompson, “I think we need to recognize that it’s hard to stay up to date when the recommendations are to keep getting a new vaccine.”

Despite this, he still recommends that folks get vaccinated.

“Vaccines are one of the best interventions we have in modern medicine. They prevent disease. They save lives. I’m a strong advocate of vaccination.”

For Labat, she says the best thing that folks who might be hesitant about vaccinations is to talk to their doctor.

“I would really encourage people to reach out to their providers to have those questions answered and to have those discussions just so that they can make the best-informed decision that they can.”