About the News Briefing
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) Annual Respiratory Season Kick-Off will be held on September 24, 2026, from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Eastern Time, in Washington, DC. Attend in person or virtually. Register here(opens in new tab).
This briefing will bring together public health officials, leading medical and scientific experts, clinicians, patient voices, and media to share timely insights on respiratory disease prevention ahead of the season. The briefing will highlight the latest findings from NFID’s annual respiratory survey and the launch of the National Respiratory Communications Initiative (NRCI).
NFID Medical Director Robert H. Hopkins Jr., MD, will moderate the briefing, and featured speakers will include:
- Kate Berry, MPP, Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Strategic Partnerships with America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)
- Margot L. Savoy, MD, MPH, FAAFP, Chief Medical Officer at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
- Anne Schuchat, MD, former Principal Deputy Director and two-time Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and former Director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
- Ryan A. Stanton, MD, FACEP, President-Elect of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
- Gary Stein, Board Member of Families Fighting Flu, who helped create the nonprofit after his daughter died from influenza
Leading By Example Vaccine Clinic: The briefing will be followed by a vaccine clinic offering vaccines for flu and COVID-19.