When should I get a flu shot?
Flu season typically starts in December and peaks in February, so the “optimum time” to get the vaccine is when the season is starting, Dr. Celine Gunder, CBS News medical contributor and public health editor for KFF Health News, said on “CBS Mornings” Monday.
“You want to get your flu shot and your COVID shot before Thanksgiving, like mid-November, but even if you can get it a little earlier than that, you should still get it when you can,” Gunder said.
It takes about two weeks for protection to kick in after vaccination, so it’s best to wait until shortly before the holidays.
People at highest risk of influenza complications include:
Children — “Children under 5 are especially at risk,” Gunder said. Pregnant adults over 65 — “This is an often forgotten group,” Gunder said. People with underlying conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and asthma. People who are immunocompromised.
The CDC reported that about 200 children died during the 2023-24 flu season, most of whom were eligible for the vaccine but didn’t get it, and federal officials have warned that a decline in vaccinations could have led to an increase in pediatric flu deaths.
“Unfortunately, after the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, we’re seeing increased vaccine skepticism and more people being reluctant to get vaccinated, which, like with the childhood flu vaccine, has led to increased hospitalizations and, unfortunately, deaths,” Gunder said.
FluMist Vaccine and Flu Vaccination
The FluMist vaccine, made by AstraZeneca, was approved in 2003 for health care workers to give to patients, but its new, broader approval is drawing renewed attention to the method.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it was broadening its approval of FluMist nasal spray to make it the first “self-administered” flu vaccine, though the vaccine won’t be delivered to homes until next year’s flu season at the earliest.
If you’re wondering whether to get the shot or the spray, Gunder said FluMist is “not as effective as the shot.”
“The effectiveness of the vaccines so far ranges from 20 to 60 percent depending on how well they match, but it’s still pretty effective,” she said. “FluMist is only about 25 percent effective at preventing severe illness, but for people who don’t like getting the shot and hate needles, it’s an option that can at least reduce their risk a little bit.”
In addition, there are restrictions on who is recommended for FluMist: Because it uses a weakened live virus, some patients, such as pregnant women and those with severe immunosuppression, should not receive this vaccine.
Alexander Ting contributed to this report.
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