It’s Time to Get Your Flu Shot

It’s fall in New England. Time for pumpkin spice lattes, apple picking, tailgating, and your annual flu shot.

It’s not too late to get a flu shot, in fact, getting your annual influenza vaccine may be one of the most important decisions you make this year. Here’s why.

Last year’s flu season was virtually non-existent because of mask mandates, social distancing, and school and office closures. It may have been a blessing at the time, but it means we haven’t been exposed to the flu virus since March 2020. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that reduced population immunity could result in an early and possibly severe flu season.

We saw it happen this summer when people shed their masks and ended social distancing. Colds and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) spread more easily because people hadn’t been exposed to the viruses.

This year, a flu shot is the best way to boost your immunity against the flu. The CDC recommends everyone over six months old get vaccinated. It takes two weeks for antibodies to develop and provide protection, so you should get a flu shot now before the virus takes hold in your community. Flu season typically begins in October in the U.S., but flu activity does not usually peak until February and can continue into May. Pregnant women in their third trimester should get the vaccine as soon as possible to transfer the antibodies to their babies. Also, children 8 years old and younger who are getting the flu shot for the first time need two doses, four weeks apart, so parents should get that process started now.

Influenza is a serious illness that can lead to hospitalization and death. The CDC estimates between 9 million and 45 million people get the flu each year, resulting in between 140,000-810,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000-61,000 deaths annually since 2010. Adults 65 years and older, adults with chronic health conditions, pregnant women, and young children are at greater risk of severe flu complications.

The flu shot is not 100 percent effective, but if you do get the flu, the vaccine will reduce your chances of getting very sick, being hospitalized, or dying. It may also protect your loved ones because the more people in the community who are vaccinated, the less risk of exposure to influenza.

There’s no way to know for sure what the flu season has in store. There have been a few outbreaks in the Southern Hemisphere, but the World Health Organization says global flu activity remains lower than expected for this time of year. That could be due to continued social distancing and masking in the southern half of the world.

The best thing you can do is be prepared. The flu shot is free with most insurance. Flu shots are available at your local urgent care center, pharmacy, or primary care physician. So roll up your sleeve today. Do it for your family. Do it for your friends. Do it for yourself.