Flu (Shot) Season

With flu season on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about your annual vaccination. Cases of influenza, or the flu, are typically seen from October to March or April.

“The peak of flu season can vary each year but the peak in our community is usually around February,” says Sherri Rabon, RN, an infection preventionist at Beaufort Memorial.

When Should I Get the Flu Vaccine?

It is usually recommended to not get the flu vaccine too early so that you are protected throughout flu season. Our primary care providers recommend getting your flu shot in September or October but continue to provide them throughout the remainder of flu season.

Does the Flu Vaccine Work Right Away?

As seen with other vaccines, your body needs time to develop antibodies after being vaccinated. It typically takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to become fully effective.

“Each person’s immune system is different but the flu vaccine will help prevent you from getting sick with influenza and reduce the severity of symptoms if you do get sick,” Rabon says.

Read More: Flu Season, You and Others

Who Should Get the Flu Vaccine?

In the United States, flu shots are recommended annually for everyone ages 6 months and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Vaccination is especially important for people who are at high risk of developing serious complications if they get the flu, such as those with chronic lung disease, asthma or diabetes, as well as pregnant women and anyone over age 65.

How Well Do Vaccines Protect Against the Flu?

“How well any vaccine protects you depends on how similarly it replicates the circulating virus, as well as other factors like your health, age and the strength of your immune system,” Rabon says. “The type of vaccine used may also play a role.”

The CDC states that although vaccine effectiveness can vary, recent studies show the flu vaccine reduces the risk of flu illness by about 40%-60% among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are similar to those used in the vaccines.

“Similar to what we’ve seen with the COVID-19 vaccines, one of the biggest benefits to flu vaccinations is the protection from serious illness,” Rabon says. “The flu vaccine prevents thousands of people in the U.S. from being hospitalized each year.”

There are many other respiratory infections that cause flu-like symptoms and they typically circulate during the same time of year. Flu vaccines do not protect against other common viruses such as rhinovirus (a cause of the common cold) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Read More: Should I Call in Sick?

Can You Get Sick From the Flu Vaccine?

“The flu vaccine won’t give you the flu,” Rabon says. “Flu shots are made with an inactivated virus or with a single protein from the virus. And although the nasal spray vaccine contains live viruses, they’ve been weakened to an extent that they won’t make you sick.”

Some people may experience mild side-effects from a vaccine, including a low-grade fever, muscle aches and a headache. These side effects show that your immune system has been activated to develop the antibodies that can fight off the real virus when you’re exposed.

Why Do I Need to Get Vaccinated Every Year?

Influenza viruses undergo frequent genetic changes. Each year, scientists monitor global infection trends and select the H1N1, H3N2 and Type-B strains that are most likely to become widespread and cause severe sickness. Vaccine developers then produce that year’s vaccines to combat those particular strains of the virus. Each year’s vaccine is formulated to protect against new variations.

“In addition to needing protection against new strains, the immunity that your body builds gradually diminishes over time,” Rabon says. “That’s why you need another flu vaccine each year.”

Types of Flu Vaccines

The available types of vaccines differ based on their method of production, the number of strains they are designed to protect against and the method in which they can be administered.

Traditionally flu vaccines use eggs during part of the production process. That is why you are asked about any potential egg allergies before your shot is administered. Since 2012/2013, two other methods have been in use in the U.S. These egg-free methods are cell-based candidates and recombinant technology.

A trivalent flu shot is formulated to protect against three strains and a quadrivalent flu shot is one that protects against four different flu viruses.

Most flu vaccines are given as a shot in the arm but some are available in a mist that is sprayed inside the nose.

Where Should I Get the Shot and Which Option Should I Choose?

Fortunately you don’t need to worry about all of the different flu vaccine options. Your primary care provider can guide you to the one that is most appropriate given your age and health history.

If you’ve had a flu shot before without issue and don’t have health concerns, such as severe egg allergies or Guillain-Barre syndrome, you can get your shot wherever is most convenient. Whether you choose to get your flu vaccine at your primary care provider’s office, a Beaufort Memorial Express Care & Occupational Health clinic or a local pharmacy, what’s most important is to be sure you receive your annual vaccination.

Have questions about getting vaccinated but don’t have a primary care provider? Find one who is accepting new patients.