If you ask your doctor when is the best time to get your flu shot each year, they’ll likely tell you that it doesn’t matter when you get it, you just need to get it.
However, there are optimal points to optimize immunity.
When is the best time to get a flu shot?
Influenza season lasts from October to May, and cases in the United States peak from December to February. That’s why the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people get the flu vaccine by the end of October, because it takes about two weeks for the immune system’s response to reach its maximum response to the vaccine. This means producing enough immune cells that contain antibodies against the virus. “The best time to get a flu shot is right before the virus starts to spread,” said Dr. Kausar Talat, associate professor of global health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
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But the reality is that pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and doctor’s offices cannot accommodate everyone who is inundated with them at the same time. So even if you don’t have lines at the pharmacy in September, there’s no reason not to get vaccinated.
“Influenza is circulating as early as October, so it’s not too early to get vaccinated,” Talaat said. The protective effect of the vaccine begins to wear off after three to four months, but “it never goes to zero.” Even if your protection begins to wear off, you will still remain protected.
Dr. Robert Jacobson, a professor of pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic, says there are some exceptions to that guidance. Children under 9 years of age receiving their first flu shot require two doses, one month apart. For them, starting in late July or August makes sense, especially if parents want to get their children vaccinated before the school year starts. People 65 and older should also consider getting vaccinated later in the summer. During this time, influenza begins to circulate, and older adults are at higher risk of developing complications, being hospitalized, and dying from the flu. Finally, pregnant women in their third trimester should also consider getting vaccinated in July or August to allow their bodies to transfer protective antibodies to the baby in the womb. This prevention is important because infants usually do not receive their first influenza vaccine until they are about 6 months old. If a baby is born during flu season, protection from the mother during the first few months of life is the strongest defense against the flu.
How effective is the annual flu shot?
It depends on the year. Every spring, health experts predict which influenza strains will circulate and cause illness, giving manufacturers enough time to incorporate them into vaccines. Generally, a vaccine can be expected to prevent influenza infection about half of the time if it is a good match for the circulating strain, Talaat said. Additionally, even if you are infected, your symptoms are likely to be milder than if you were not vaccinated. They are also less likely to be hospitalized or die from influenza, which particularly affects older people.
Research shows that getting a flu shot can also prevent other health problems, such as heart attacks and strokes. Influenza infection can worsen inflammation, which can lead to heart disease and other symptoms.
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Jacobson said that even if the effectiveness wears off, the vaccine still provides sufficient protection, and health officials are warning older people vaccinated in late summer, for example, that they should be vaccinated later in the season. It is not recommended that patients be vaccinated again. “We think they will be protected for the season,” he says. Additionally, people 65 and older typically receive one of several powerful influenza vaccines to generate the strongest immune response. One of them contains four times the amount of influenza antigens that activate immunity. “They’re safe and effective, and they’re the best option for people over 65,” Jacobson says.
Can I receive the influenza vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time?
Yes, there is no need to hesitate to do so. A study conducted by Dr. Talaat showed that people who received both vaccines reported fewer side effects, such as sore arms, muscle pain, and fever, compared to those who received them at different times.
And for those wondering whether getting two vaccinations on the same day could somehow weaken the immune response to both COVID-19 and the flu, here’s a link to the “Influenza vaccine vs. “We have not found any interference with coronavirus vaccines,” Jacobson said. Not getting the vaccine on the same day “doesn’t do your immune system any good.”
It’s not too late to get vaccinated, even if you’ve already had the flu or it’s late in the season (such as January or February). There are usually several strains of influenza that cause illness, and vaccination protects you from strains you haven’t yet been infected with. In fact, the influenza vaccine infects only a single strain of the virus, causing a broader immune response to the multiple influenza strains in the vaccine than a natural infection. “This is a good example of how natural infection is not as good and certainly not as safe as vaccination,” Jacobson said. “Our recent vaccines have been improved and designed to work together, and there is ample evidence that they are safe and effective. Please take all of your scheduled vaccines.”
