WASHINGTON — Medical experts say October remains the ideal window to get a flu shot this year, as influenza activity typically begins climbing in the fall and protection takes about two weeks to develop.
With respiratory virus season underway, doctors’ groups are urging nearly everyone age 6 months and older to get vaccinated soon, before widespread circulation increases the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death.
Flu alone causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths in the United States each year. Vaccination does not guarantee prevention of every infection but significantly lowers the chance of the worst outcomes, much like a seat belt reduces injury risk in a crash, according to Dr. Ryan Stanton of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
This season’s guidance comes primarily from major medical societies rather than a new update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC’s independent advisory panel remains entangled in litigation, leaving its previous recommendations in place while groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America have issued clear advice backed by recent evidence.
Who Should Get the Flu Shot
Just about everyone starting at age 6 months needs an annual flu vaccine, the societies agree. Risk is highest for adults 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and people of any age with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or weakened immune systems.
The past two flu seasons saw unusually high numbers of child deaths, the vast majority among unvaccinated children.
Vaccines reduce hospitalizations among older adults by about 31 percent, according to data compiled by the Vaccine Integrity Project at the University of Minnesota.
They are especially valuable for preventing severe disease even when they do not stop every mild case.
Choosing Among Available Flu Vaccines
Multiple options exist this year. Three enhanced vaccines high-dose, adjuvanted and recombinant are designed to produce a stronger response in seniors.
The American Academy of Family Physicians encourages adults 65 and older to choose one of these when available, though any age-appropriate shot is better than delaying.
A new choice arrived in 2026: the first flu vaccine made with mRNA technology, approved by the Food and Drug Administration for people ages 50 and older.
One study found Moderna’s version was 27 percent more effective against symptomatic illness in adults 50 to 64 than a standard shot.
For those who prefer to avoid injections, the nasal spray FluMist remains an option for healthy people ages 2 to 49 who meet eligibility criteria.
Protection Against COVID-19 and RSV
Updated COVID-19 vaccines are also available. While formal federal approval focuses on higher-risk groups, family physicians recommend the shot for all adults, particularly seniors and those with underlying conditions.
Adults 65 and older may benefit from a second dose about six months later as immunity wanes. Pediatricians advise COVID-19 vaccination for all children ages 6 to 23 months and for older children with high-risk conditions, while supporting it for any child whose parents request it.
RSV, usually a mild cold-like illness, can be life-threatening for infants and older adults. Family physicians recommend a one-time RSV vaccine for adults 75 and older, those ages 50 to 74 at increased risk, and younger people with weak immune systems.
Vaccination during late pregnancy helps protect newborns, and a separate antibody product is available for certain high-risk infants whose mothers were not vaccinated.
Common side effects for flu and COVID-19 shots remain mild and temporary sore arms, fatigue, headache, muscle aches or low-grade fever.
