As temperatures drop and people spend more time indoors, respiratory illnesses become increasingly prevalent. These seasonal surges, driven by environmental conditions and closer interpersonal contact, make the fall and winter months a critical period for preventive care. To ensure strong vaccination coverage across patient populations, practices should begin preparing immunization efforts early. Leveraging the summer months to initiate vaccine conversations, assess needs, and place orders can help healthcare centers avoid stock shortages, reduce last-minute stress, and ensure timely delivery to patients.
Key Respiratory Illnesses to Prepare For
The “Tripledemic” refers to the overlapping seasonal circulation of flu, COVID-19, and RSV, representing a significant convergence of respiratory illnesses. By examining transmission dynamics and historical epidemiologic patterns, providers can better anticipate patient needs and implement evidence-based preventive strategies consistent with the latest clinical guidelines and vaccine updates.
Flu
Flu is highly contagious and typically defined by rapid onset. Caused by the influenza virus, flu-related illness was responsible for up to 1.3 million hospitalizations in the 2024-2025 season, according to preliminary estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While many cases are mild, vulnerable populations, including young children, older adults, pregnant patients, and individuals with chronic health conditions, have an increased risk to experience severe complications, including hospitalization and death.
COVID-19
Although serious infection is uncommon, severe COVID-19-related illness may be fatal, particularly in older adults and immunocompromised individuals. Even after recovering from COVID, no matter the severity, there have been reported lasting, long-term effects, making timely vaccination essential. During the 2023-2024 respiratory illness season, COVID-19 vaccination prevented approximately 68,000 hospitalizations in the U.S.
RSV
RSV can cause severe illness in young children, premature infants, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. In the 2024-2025 season, an estimated 190,000 to 350,000 individuals were hospitalized with RSV, making timely vaccination critical for safeguarding public health and limiting disease burden. Pregnant patients may also benefit from RSV vaccination, and maternal vaccines were proven to reduce infant RSV-associated hospitalizations by up to 52% last year.
Planning Steps for Providers
Effective vaccine preparedness begins with a clear plan. By taking a structured approach, providers can anticipate demand, manage budgets, streamline procurement, and ensure operational readiness—helping protect patients and maintain smooth practice operations throughout the respiratory illness season.
1) Assessment and Forecasting
The first step in preparing for seasonal respiratory illnesses is assessing patient needs and forecasting demand. Providers should review historical patient data to learn more about patient immunization preferences and anticipate volume for the upcoming season. Staying up to date with CDC and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations, as well as state-specific school requirements, ensures compliance and helps determine which vaccines and quantities will best serve the needs of the communities you serve.
Flu: All individuals aged 6 months and older should receive a routine influenza vaccination for the 2025-2026 season.
COVID-19: Both ACIP/CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend COVID-19 vaccination beginning at 6 months of age. ACIP/CDC places pediatric vaccination for patients ages 6 months–17 years under shared clinical decision-making rather than a routine universal recommendation, while continuing to recommend routine vaccination for adults. Adults aged 65 years and older and individuals 6 months–64 years with moderate or severe immunocompromise are advised to receive an additional dose; further doses for immunocompromised patients considered through shared decision-making. The AAP diverges slightly by recommending routine vaccination for all children 6–23 months. For patients aged 2–18 years, the AAP recommends vaccination for those with underlying medical risk factors or household exposure to high-risk individuals, while noting vaccination may also be offered to other children and adolescents based on parental preference.
RSV: RSV vaccination is recommended for all adults aged 75 and above, and adults ages 50-74 who face an increased risk for severe illness. To protect infants against severe RSV, CDC and ACIP recommend a maternal vaccine be administered during weeks 32-36 of pregnancy. Infants whose mothers did not receive the vaccine during pregnancy and children 8-19 months who face an increased risk of severe illness should also receive the vaccine.
2) Budgeting and Funding
Once vaccine needs are assessed, practices should estimate quantities and associated costs, integrating these figures into the practice’s broader financial plan. Exploring funding options and aligning purchases with budgetary constraints can prevent last-minute financial pressures. Partnering with Atlantic Health Partners (AHP) offers additional benefits, including access to exclusive pricing, flexible purchasing options, and support aligning vaccine budgets with operational needs.
3) Procurement Process
With forecasting and budgeting in place, the next step is determining the most efficient procurement method. Practices may choose to purchase directly from manufacturers or authorized distributors or leverage a vaccine purchasing group like AHP. Through AHP, providers gain access to national contracts and preferred pricing, flexible ordering methods (online, by phone, or through a representative), and direct shipment to the practice, simplifying the procurement process and reducing administrative burdens.
4) Operational Considerations
To ensure that vaccines are administered safely and efficiently once received, practices should maintain sufficient inventory levels and proper cold chain storage, implement robust recordkeeping and tracking systems, and launch patient communication campaigns about seasonal vaccinations. Using existing appointments to discuss immunization plans, educating patients on timing, eligibility, and benefits, and integrating messaging into practice communication channels helps maximize vaccination coverage and protect community health.
Early Preparation Matters
Strategic vaccine preparedness is essential for ensuring readiness, maintaining compliance, and improving patient health outcomes during respiratory illness season. By starting early and taking a structured approach to forecasting, budgeting, procurement, and operational planning, providers can avoid stock shortages, streamline workflows, and deliver timely protection to patients.
With the support of Atlantic Health Partners, practices gain access to cost-effective vaccine purchasing options, expert guidance, and flexible ordering solutions that make preparation simpler and more efficient. Explore our resources and learn how Atlantic Health Partners can help your practice prepare for flu, COVID-19, RSV, and other vaccine-preventable illnesses.