In the waning days of summer, flu season can still feel a long way off.
Yet some pharmacy chains have already started urging consumers to beat the crowds and schedule a flu vaccine.
But experts said that for most people, getting a shot at the start of September may be too early to provide protection that will last throughout flu season.
This year’s vaccines protect against several different flu viruses, which can cause fever, fatigue, body aches, diarrhea and other symptoms.
There were about 35 million cases of flu nationwide last season.
About 400,000 people were hospitalized with flu infections, and 25,000 people died.
Ideally, you want to get your flu shot before cases in your area start picking up.
The Covid-19 pandemic also disrupted flu season, delaying the start and sharply diminishing the spread of the flu virus from 2020 to 2022.
Flu season started to return to normal last year, said Deepta Bhattacharya, a professor of immunobiology at the University of Arizona.
This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has designated Oct. 5 as the start of its flu surveillance season.
The summer is almost over, but flu season still seems far off. But some drugstore chains have already begun to advise customers to get vaccinated against the flu ahead of time to avoid the crush.
However, experts cautioned that, for the majority of people, receiving a shot at the beginning of September might be too early to offer protection against the flu all season long.
The vaccinations for this year offer protection against multiple flu viruses that can cause symptoms such as fever, exhaustion, body pains, diarrhea, and others. Serious infections may result in hospital stays or even death. The previous flu season, there were roughly 35 million cases reported nationwide. A total of 25,000 people passed away and about 400,000 people were hospitalized for flu-related illnesses.
When is a good time to get a shot?
The ideal time to get vaccinated against the flu is before local cases begin to rise. The issue is that since it varies throughout the nation and year to year, it’s hard to pinpoint with precision when that will occur. Additionally, from 2020 to 2022, the Covid-19 pandemic significantly reduced the spread of the flu virus and delayed the onset of flu season.
According to University of Arizona immunobiology professor Deepta Bhattacharya, flu season began to return to normal last year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have set October as the designated month this year. Its flu surveillance season began on May 5.
The majority of people should get vaccinated between mid-September and late October, according to experts. the C. B. C. advises having your vaccination as soon as possible in October.
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