INFLUENZA

October or November is the best time to get vaccinated, however getting vaccinated in December or even later can still be beneficial since most influenza activity occurs in January or later in most years. Though it varies, flu season can extend as late as May.

Everyone 6 months and older is recommended for annual flu vaccination with some exceptions.

CDC – Vaccinations
The CDC provides a list of all people recommended to get a flu vaccine, who can and can’t get the flu shot and who should take precautions or talk to their doctor or other health care professional before vaccination.

Talk to your health care provider if you have any questions regarding which flu vaccine is best for you and your family.

Some people should not be vaccinated without first consulting a physician. They include:

• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
• People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past.
• People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously.
• Children less than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for use in this age group).
• People who have a moderate or severe illness with a fever should wait to get vaccinated until their symptoms lessen.

If you have questions about whether you should get a flu vaccine, consult your health care provider.

Flu vaccines CANNOT cause the flu. 
The viruses in flu vaccines are either killed (the flu shot) or weakened (the nasal spray vaccine).

There are several reasons the misconception persists:

1. Fewer than 1% of people who are vaccinated with the injectable vaccine develop flu-like symptoms, such as mild fever and muscle aches, after vaccination. These side effects are not the same as having influenza, but people confuse the symptoms.
2. Protective immunity doesn’t develop until 1–2 weeks after vaccination. Some people who get vaccinated later in the season (December or later) may get influenza shortly afterward. These late vaccines develop influenza because they were exposed to someone with the virus before they became immune. It is not the result of the vaccination.
3. To many people “the flu” is any illness with fever and cold symptoms. If they get any viral illness, they may blame it on the flu shot or think they got “the flu” despite being vaccinated. Influenza vaccine only protects against certain influenza viruses, not all viruses.

Mild problems following inactivated flu vaccine:

• soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given.
• hoarseness; sore, red, or itchy eyes; cough
• fever
• aches
• headache
• itching
• fatigue

If these problems occur, they usually begin soon after the shot and last 1 or 2 days.

No. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza virus infection. In the meantime, you are still at risk of getting the flu. That’s why it’s better to get vaccinated early in the fall before the flu season really gets under way.