- Many pharmacies are already encouraging people to get their annual flu shot.
- Doctors say that timing is important with your flu shot—getting it too early can leave you less protected toward the end of flu season.
- It’s best to aim to get your shot in a specific window of time this fall.
It’s easy to forget about the flu—until you start getting reminders from big-name pharmacy chains that it’s time for your annual flu vaccine. But while pharmacies begin stocking them in August, is it wise to get one that soon? Could you get a flu shot too early?
Yes, infectious disease doctors say it’s possible to get your flu shot too early. Unfortunately, that can leave you vulnerable to getting sick at the end of the flu season.
During last year’s flu season, there were at least 32 million illnesses, 390,000 hospitalizations, and 24,000 deaths from the flu, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Now, the flu shot isn’t perfect and won’t always keep you from getting sick. But experts stress that getting vaccinated against the flu can lower the odds you’ll get seriously sick if you get infected.
Meet the experts: William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine; infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security; Melinda Haas, D.N.P., clinical assistant professor at the University at Buffalo School of Nursing; Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York.
So, when is it too early for the flu shot and what is the sweet spot to aim for? Here’s what medical providers recommend.
When does flu season start and end?
There is no official start and end date for the flu, but it tends to follow a pattern in the U.S. Flu season usually starts to ramp up in October, per the CDC.
Flu season tends to peak in December and February, and fades by the spring, according to the CDC. However, some seasons are longer than others, and there can be higher levels of the flu circulating as late as May.
Why does timing matter with the flu shot?
The flu shot isn’t effective indefinitely, which is part of the reason why it’s recommended that you get vaccinated every year. It’s hard to put an exact number on how long protection from your flu shot will last, since it depends on different factors, including your own immune system, says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
But there is a general range you can expect. “The flu vaccine typically provides protection for about six to eight months,” says Melinda Haas, D.N.P., clinical assistant professor at the University at Buffalo School of Nursing. “However, it’s important to note that this can vary depending on individual factors and the specific strains of the flu virus in a given season.”
Because there’s a range for peak effectiveness, timing can be important. “If one gets the flu shot too early, your protection may run out before the end of flu season,” says Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York.
Is it too early for a flu shot?
Doctors generally agree that right now is too early for a flu shot. “The concern is that the protection will wane,” says Dr. Schaffner.
Infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, agrees. “The influenza season can last into mid-spring,” he points out.
The only people who may benefit from getting vaccinated now are children under the age of 8 who have never had a flu shot, Dr. Schaffner says. “They will need two doses, spaced apart, so you can get it now and then later,” he explains.
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What are my flu vaccine options?
You have a few choices when it comes to getting vaccinated against the flu. Most Americans under the age of 65 who get the flu shot will get a trivalent vaccine, which targets three strains of the flu, per the CDC. However, it’s recommended that adults 65 and up get a quadrivalent flu vaccine, which targets four strains of the flu.
There are variations within those types of vaccines, including flu shots that are egg-free and new mRNA flu vaccines that were released this year. You also have the option of getting a nasal flu vaccine called FluMist, which is sprayed into your nose, bypassing the needle altogether.
When is the best time to get a flu shot?
It’s hard to figure out an exact time to get your shot. “Pharmacies start stocking them in August,” Dr. Russo says. However, the CDC usually recommends getting your shot by Halloween.
“October is when I recommend getting the vaccine as there is more actual influenza activity then—there is very little now,” Dr. Adalja says. “The vaccine will last further into the season if administered in October.”
Also worth considering: It takes about two weeks after you’re vaccinated for your body to develop antibodies against the flu, per the CDC. So, if you have a big indoor event coming up sometime in late October or November, you may want to plan to get your flu vaccine a few weeks ahead of that, just to be safe.
But if now is the only time you can get vaccinated, Dr. Adalja says it’s better than nothing.
Who should consider getting the flu shot earlier?
For most people, getting the flu shot in late October is best. But if you’re at a high risk for flu complications or if flu cases are starting to jump up in your area, Dr. Russo says you may want to consider getting vaccinated on the earlier side.
Again, it takes about two weeks to get peak immunity, so you’ll want to keep that in mind, too.
Who should get the flu shot later?
It’s not typically recommended that you try to get the flu shot on the later side. However, Dr. Russo says you can still get your shot if you miss the Halloween deadline.
“If for whatever reason you did not get your flu shot and we’re in the middle of flu season, it’s still not too late to get your shot,” he says.
Can you get a second flu shot?
There is currently no official recommendation for adults to get a second flu shot. However, children who are getting vaccinated against the flu for the first time will receive two shots, spaced out by at least four weeks, per the CDC.
If you’re worried about getting the flu or are considered high risk for serious complications of the virus, Dr. Russo suggests wearing a mask in crowded indoor spaces, washing your hands regularly, and doing what you can to avoid people who are obviously sick, in addition to getting your vaccine.
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