Dear Savvy Senior: Which vaccines are recommended for seniors with Medicare this flu season? — Just Turned 65

Dear Turned 65: There are actually three different types of vaccines seniors should consider getting this fall to protect against a repeat of last winter’s “tripledemic” of respiratory illnesses, which included influenza, the coronavirus and respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV. Here’s a rundown of the different vaccines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending and how they are covered by Medicare.

Senior-specific flu shots

For people age 65 and older, there are three flu vaccines (you only need one) that the CDC recommends over traditional flu shots.

These FDA-approved vaccines provide extra protection beyond what a standard flu shot does, which is important for older adults who have weaker immune defenses and are at a greater risk of developing dangerous complications. Three senior-specific options include:

>> Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine, which contains four times the amount of antigen as a regular flu shot, creating a stronger immune response.

>> Fluad Quadrivalent, which contains an added ingredient called adjuvant MF59 that helps create a stronger immune response.

>> FluBlok Quadrivalent, a recombinant protein (egg-free) flu vaccine that contains three times the amount of antigen as a regular flu shot.

As for side effects, the Fluzone High-Dose and Fluad vaccines can cause more of the mild side effects that can occur with a standard-dose flu shot, such as pain or tenderness where you got the shot, muscle aches, headache or fatigue. The Flublok seems to causes side effects less consistently.

All flu vaccines are covered 100% by Medicare Part B as long as your doctor, health clinic or pharmacy agrees not to charge you more than Medicare pays.

New RSV vaccines

Anyone age 60 and older should consider getting one of the new FDA-approved RSV vaccines (either Arexvy or Abrysvo). But this is especially recommended for those who have heart or lung conditions, diabetes or kidney or liver disorders; these people are particularly vulnerable to RSV.

These vaccines, recommended by the CDC, will help protect older and immunocompromised adults from respiratory illness, which is responsible for 6,000 to 10,000 deaths and at least 60,000 hospitalizations each year in those 65 and older.

The new RSV vaccines are covered by Medicare (Part D) prescription drug plans.

Updated COVID vaccine

If you haven’t had a COVID-19 booster shot lately, you should consider getting the new vaccine this fall. While the public health emergency has ended and the number of cases have dropped, cases have been surging in recent months, causing an increase in hospitalizations, especially among older adults.

The updated COVID-19 vaccine targets XBB omicron subvariants that are some of the most dominant coronavirus variants circulating in the U.S. It also provides protection against the EG.5 variant (Eris), which is closely related to XBB.

The shots are covered 100% by Medicare Part B.

When and where

Most health officials agree that it’s safe to receive the flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time. But because the RSV vaccines are new this year, many doctors are recommending a two-week window between an RSV shot and the flu and/or the COVID-19 shot.

You can find all three vaccines at most pharmacies, medical clinics and health departments, or do a search at vaccines.gov.

Jim Miller is a contributor to NBC-TV’s “Today” program and author of “The Savvy Senior.” Send your questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070; or visit savvysenior.org.