Who is recommended to get a flu shot

Trouble sleeping? This may be why. Singing helps woman with rare neurological disease. Breast cancer: Know the facts. Kevin Curry found an escape from depression when he got moving and started to cook. Explain it to me: Fertility. Ways to treat heartburn. Why losing weight might protect you from Covid This is your brain on pain. Here's why you can't stop eating pizza, ice cream and chocolate chip cookies. These foods aren't as healthy as you think. What is obesity? Why your BMI matters.

What tobacco does to your health The most important thing is for all people 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine every year. If you have questions about which flu vaccine to get, talk to your doctor or other health care professional. More information is available at Who Should Get Vaccinated. Most people should be vaccinated for influenza each year, But some people should not be vaccinated, or should not receive some types of influenza vaccines, depending upon things such as their age, health current and past and whether they have certain allergies.

People who have a history of severe egg allergy those who have had any symptom other than hives after exposure to egg should be vaccinated in a medical setting, supervised by a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic reactions. Two completely egg-free ovalbumin-free flu vaccine options are available: quadrivalent recombinant vaccine and quadrivalent cell-based vaccine.

It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies that protect against flu to develop in the body. September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated against flu. Ideally, everyone should be vaccinated by the end of October.

However, even if you are not able to get vaccinated until November or later, vaccination is still recommended because flu most commonly peaks in February and significant activity can continue into May. To receive weekly email updates about Seasonal Flu, enter your email address:. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

Influenza Flu. The second reason is that the influenza virus is constantly changing. This means that the viruses that were prevalent in the previous flu season may not be in the upcoming season. The flu vaccine is updated every year to include protection against the influenza viruses most likely to circulate in the upcoming flu season.

A seasonal flu shot is the most effective protection. The CDC recommends that children over 6 months of age receive the flu vaccine. Children under 6 months old are too young to receive the vaccine. Some children between ages 6 months and 8 years may need two doses.

Pregnant women should get the flu vaccine every year. Changes in your immune system during pregnancy lead to an increased risk of severe illness or hospitalization due to influenza. Additionally, receiving the flu vaccine can help protect your baby. In the months after birth, if you breastfeed, you can pass anti-influenza antibodies to your baby through breast milk. While the flu vaccine has had a strong safety record in pregnant women, a study did raise some safety concerns.

Researchers found an association between miscarriage and flu vaccination in the preceding 28 days. Additionally, the association was only statistically significant in women who had received a vaccine containing the pandemic H1N1 strain in the previous season. While additional studies need to be completed to investigate this concern, both the CDC and the ACOG still strongly recommend that all pregnant women receive the flu vaccine. Manufacturers typically begin shipping the flu vaccine in August.

However, a study found that protection begins to wane over time following vaccination. Most doctors recommend that everyone gets their flu vaccine by the end of October or before the virus begins to circulate in your community. Getting vaccinated later can still provide protection against the influenza virus.

Every fall and winter, millions of people get the flu. The following symptoms that often accompany the flu are more severe than the symptoms of the common cold:. The flu can catch you by surprise with its intensity and leave you feeling sick for days.

It can also lead to life threatening complications. According to the American Lung Association, 3, to 49, Americans die from flu-related causes each year.

Getting the annual flu vaccine is a safe, effective way to prevent the flu. The vaccine causes your body to develop antibodies to several strains of the influenza virus. These antibodies help protect your body against infection. The seasonal flu vaccine is changed every year to keep up with the three strains of the virus that research suggests will be most common in the upcoming flu season. You need to get a new vaccine every year to stay safe.

You can get the flu at any point during the year, but flu season occurs in the fall and winter. Infections tend to peak between November and March. Possible complications include:. The very young have an increased chance of developing complications from the flu. Among other concerns, getting the flu raises your risk of premature labor and delivery.

Getting the flu shot will help protect you and your unborn baby, even after birth. If you only have a mild cold, it should be safe for you to get vaccinated.