One of the best ways to prepare for cold weather health issues, such as increased prevalence of respiratory viruses like COVID, RSV and influenza, is to reduce the risk of severe illness through vaccination.
Each year, scientists and doctors determine which influenza strains are most likely to circulate and make people sick during flu season, which typically peaks from December through February but starts in the fall. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already released the makeup of the 2024-2025 flu vaccine, and pharmacies like Walmart and CVS are promoting this season’s vaccine. But when should you make an appointment?
Health officials have traditionally urged people to get their flu shots by the end of October, and the CDC said in a late June announcement that September and October are the best months for most people to get vaccinated.
To further prepare for virus season, read about how to order a free COVID test from the government and why Novavax plays an important role in COVID prevention. Also, learn about a newly approved at-home flu vaccine that will be available next year.
Who should get the flu vaccine?
According to the CDC, nearly everyone over the age of 6 months should get the flu vaccine.
The CDC makes rare exceptions for people who should not get the vaccine, including those who have had a severe allergic reaction to the flu vaccine in the past, those who are severely allergic to any of the flu vaccine’s components (such as gelatin), and those with a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a paralytic disease.
What types of influenza vaccines are there?
According to the CDC, the flu vaccines available this season are egg-based and cell- or recombinant-based. The agency is expected to release more specific information about the 2024-2025 flu vaccine later this month.
Because people aged 60 and older are more likely to develop severe symptoms, it has traditionally been recommended that they receive a higher dose of the vaccine.
Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said in an email that older adults should choose the “high-dose” or “adjuvanted” vaccine.
In addition to age-based recommendations, the nasal spray influenza vaccine was previously not recommended for pregnant people or adults over 50 years of age.
Another big change so far this year is that the vaccine will be trivalent, meaning it will target three different flu strains. This is a switch from a quadrivalent vaccine (four strains) because one particular type of flu (influenza B/Yamagata virus) hasn’t been seen since March 2020.
Recently, the FDA approved the first at-home flu vaccine for adults under 50 and children over the age of 2. It’s a nasal vaccine that can be administered by prescription from online pharmacies, but unfortunately it won’t be available until next year’s flu season.
When should I get the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine is generally recommended to be given in September or October. In fact, health officials say most people shouldn’t get it earlier than that, even though the flu vaccine is already available. This is based on when flu activity typically peaks and the fact that you want the immunity that the flu vaccine provides to last.
“If you get vaccinated now, you may not have as much protection later in the season,” Adalja said, adding that he recommends waiting until October to get the flu shot. “Influenza is not very prevalent in the United States right now.”
According to the CDC, exceptions to early vaccination (in July or August) include children who already have medical checkup appointments scheduled during this time who may not have appointments available in September or October, children who need two doses of the flu vaccine, and people in the later stages of pregnancy.
According to the CDC, it is especially important for people 65 and older and those in the first two months of pregnancy, groups at high risk for flu complications, not to get vaccinated early (in August) unless they can be vaccinated at a more appropriate time.
Ask your doctor in advance and make an appointment
If you are over 60 or feel you may have a special recommendation for a flu shot based on your health conditions, you can call your doctor or pharmacist when you book your appointment to make sure they have the (high-dose) vaccine you want in stock, and you can also resolve any questions you have in advance so you can show up to your appointment prepared.
If you’d prefer to get multiple shots in one appointment, you could consider waiting for an improved version of the COVID-19 vaccine that’s expected to be available soon. Like the flu, the COVID-19 vaccine is being reworked to better match the circulating strains that are currently making people sick.
“Our number one recommendation for protecting yourself and your loved ones from respiratory illness is to get vaccinated,” CDC Director Mandy Cohen said in a statement in June. “Make plans for you and your family to get both up-to-date flu and COVID vaccines this fall, ahead of the respiratory virus season.”
