Boston-based Mass General Brigham is gearing up for what could be a unique respiratory virus season.

Medical and public health experts have warned that recent changes to federal vaccine policy could limit uptake and drive up hospitalizations in the winter months. The FDA in August limited approval of updated COVID-19 vaccines to individuals 65 and older, and those with at least one condition that puts them at high risk for severe disease. 

The CDC on Oct. 6 voted to recommend the vaccine based on shared decision-making — a shift away from recommendations in past years that all individuals 6 months and older receive the vaccine. The changes align with recommendations the agency’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted on in September.  “What patients do with vaccines is goi

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