Yup, You Can Get a Flu Shot Too Early—Here’s the Best Time to Get One
Many pharmacies are already encouraging people to get their annual flu shot.
Doctors say that timing is important with your flu shot.
It’s best to aim to get your shot in a specific window of time this fall.
The summer season has wrapped up for the year, causing plenty of people to look ahead to fall. With that, it’s understandable to wonder about when to get your flu shot—especially since big-name pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens are already posting signs about getting the annual vaccine. But is it too early for a flu shot?
Infectious disease doctors say it’s possible to get your flu shot too early, and making this move could raise your risk of being vulnerable to the flu before influenza season is over.
During last year’s flu season, there were at least 35 million illnesses, 400,000 hospitalizations, and 25,000 deaths from the flu, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the flu shot may not prevent you from getting sick, public health officials say that it can lower the odds you’ll get seriously ill with the virus.
Meet the experts: William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine; infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security; Melinda Haas, D.N.P., clinical assistant professor at the University at Buffalo School of Nursing
So, when it too early for the flu shot and what is the sweet spot to aim for? Here’s what medical providers recommend.
When does flu season start and end?
There is no official start and end date for the flu, but it tends to follow a pattern in the U.S. Flu season usually starts to ramp up in October, per the CDC.
Flu season tends to peak in December and February, and fades by the spring, according to the CDC. However, some seasons are longer than others, and there can be higher levels of the flu circulating as late as May.
Is it too early for a flu shot?
Doctors generally agree that right now is too early for a flu shot. “The concern is that the protection will wane,” says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “If you can wait a bit, that’s better.”
Infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, agrees. “The influenza season can last into mid-spring,” he points out.
The only people who may benefit from getting vaccinated now are children under the age of 8 who have never had a flu shot, Dr. Schaffner says. “They will need two doses, spaced apart, so you can get it now and then later,” he explains.
What are my flu vaccine options?
You have a few choices when it comes to getting vaccinated against the flu. Most Americans under the age of 65 who get the flu shot will get a trivalent vaccine, which targets three strains of the flu, per the CDC. However, it’s recommended that adults 65 and up get a quadrivalent flu vaccine, which targets four strains of the flu.
There are variations within those types of vaccines, including flu shots that are egg-free, if you prefer one of those. You also have the option of getting a nasal flu vaccine called FluMist, which is sprayed into your nose, bypassing the needle altogether.
When is the best time to get a flu shot?
It’s hard to figure out an exact time to get your shot. However, the CDC usually recommends getting your shot by Halloween, aka the end of October.
“October is when I recommend getting the vaccine as there is more actual influenza activity then—there is very little now,” Dr. Adalja says. “The vaccine will last further into the season if administered in October.”
Also worth considering: It takes about two weeks after you’re vaccinated for your body to develop antibodies against the flu, per the CDC. So, if you have a big indoor event coming up sometime in late October or November, you may want to plan to get your flu vaccine a few weeks ahead of that, just to be safe.
But if now is the only time you can get vaccinated, Dr. Adalja says it’s better than nothing.
How long does flu shot protection last?
It’s hard to put an exact number on how long protection from your flu shot will last. Everyone has different factors that influence this, including your own immune system, Dr. Schaffner says.
But there is a general range you can expect. “The flu vaccine typically provides protection for about six to eight months,” says Melinda Haas, D.N.P., clinical assistant professor at the University at Buffalo School of Nursing. “However, it’s important to note that this can vary depending on individual factors and the specific strains of the flu virus in a given season.”
Overall, doctors stress the importance of getting your flu vaccine. “Flu vaccination is best thought of as a way of increasing your resilience to respiratory virus season,” Dr. Adalja says. “It is an important tool to help you avoid the disruptive and serious consequences of influenza infection.”
You Might Also Like
