Immunization Awareness Month: How RTs Help Protect Patients

Every August, National Immunization Awareness Month offers healthcare professionals an opportunity to remind patients about one of the most effective tools for preventing serious illness: vaccination.  That’s true for respiratory therapists, who routinely care for patients who are among the most vulnerable to complications from respiratory infections, including people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Regardless of where an RT works, there are plenty of opportunities to reinforce to patients the importance of staying up to date on recommended immunizations.

The Case for Prevention

Influenza remains a major cause of respiratory illness, hospitalization, and death in the United States, but vaccination can substantially reduce that burden.

During the 2024–2025 influenza season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that flu vaccination prevented 10 million illnesses, 5 million medical visits, 180,000 hospitalizations, and 12,000 deaths. (The 2025-2026 flu data is still being tabulated.) That was the first high-severity season since 2017-2018 and included 51 million total infections and 710,00 hospitalizations nationally.

Despite that impact, vaccination rates have been declining. Only 41.9% of U.S. adults received a flu vaccine during the 2024–2025 season, down from 44.9% the season before. Among children ages 6 months through 17 years, coverage fell to 50.2%, down from 63.9% in the 2019-2020 season—and the lowest level recorded in 15 seasons.

Respiratory therapists are well positioned to help close the gap. A conversation during a pulmonary rehabilitation session, asthma education visit, COPD follow-up, or hospitalization can be an opportunity to ask patients whether they have received their seasonal flu vaccine and to encourage them to talk with their healthcare provider about vaccination.

Keeping RSV and Pneumococcal Disease on the Radar

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, can be dangerous for older adults and people with underlying health conditions. The CDC estimates that RSV leads to approximately 110,000 to 180,000 hospitalizations each year among U.S. adults ages 50 and older.

Current CDC guidance recommends a single lifetime RSV vaccine dose for everyone age 75 and older, as well as adults ages 50–74 who are at increased risk for severe RSV illness, including people with chronic heart or lung disease. Unlike influenza vaccination, RSV vaccination is not currently recommended annually for people who have already received a dose.

Timing also makes Immunization Month especially relevant. While the CDC says eligible adults can receive the RSV vaccine at any point in the year, late summer and early fall are generally the best times to vaccinate before RSV begins to circulate more widely.

Pneumococcal vaccination is another important consideration. Pneumococcal bacteria can cause pneumonia and other serious infections, and chronic lung diseases such as COPD, emphysema, and asthma can increase the risk of pneumococcal disease.

 The CDC now recommends pneumococcal vaccination for all adults age 50 and older who have not previously received a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine or whose vaccination history is unknown. Certain adults ages 19–49 also qualify based on underlying conditions and other risk factors, including chronic lung disease and cigarette smoking.

Jennifer Schrack, PhD, Director of the Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, told The Guardian in an article on healthy aging: “As we get older, it becomes even more important to be vigilant about flu, RSV and COVID vaccines. Those conditions have the potential to be much more costly for older people.”

Because recommendations can depend on age, health conditions, and previous vaccinations, patients should review individual vaccine history and needs with their healthcare provider.

Making Every Conversation Count

Respiratory therapists may not administer vaccines in every practice setting, but that doesn’t mean they cannot influence vaccination uptake. Your expertise can encourage patients to review their vaccination history, direct them to trusted resources, and reinforce information provided by physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other members of the care team.

Those conversations may be particularly valuable for patients who are hesitant or simply unsure about which vaccines they need. RTs can also use these interactions to emphasize a message their patients already understand: Respiratory infections can have serious consequences for people with already compromised lungs.

Looking for more resources to talk to patients? Visit the National Immunization Foundation for Infectious Diseases or download and save our infographic below.