Health
When to Get Your Flu Shot This Season
Health Points
- The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get a flu shot before the end of October.
- The flu shot helps prevent illness, hospitalizations, and deaths each season, especially for people over 65 and those with chronic conditions.
- Protection from the vaccine lasts about six months and covers three common flu strains for 2025-2026.
This fall, doctors encourage adults to prioritize their flu vaccination before Halloween for the best protection all winter. The flu season brings higher risks, but vaccination is an easy step to stay healthy.
According to Dr. Megan Berman, “The advice has been similar for many years, and really the best time to get the flu shot is before the end of October.”
Getting vaccinated allows your body time to build immunity before flu activity increases, which usually happens from December to February.
Recent data shows last season was severe, and higher numbers of unvaccinated children led to more serious outcomes. “Flu is predictably unpredictable,” adds Dr. Berman, so timely vaccination matters.
The new trivalent shot protects against two influenza A strains and one B strain, providing broad coverage as the virus changes during the season.
Those 65 and older, people with chronic illnesses, children under 2, and pregnant women face greater risks and especially benefit from vaccination, experts emphasize.
Immunity can wane if you get the shot too early, but for most, receiving it in September or October offers strong, season-long protection.
“Influenza is a nasty virus. … The more we all get vaccinated, the better we protect ourselves and others,” says Dr. William Schaffner.
Give yourself and your loved ones the best defense against the flu by getting your vaccine soon and encouraging others to do the same.
