Health officials urge early flu and COVID vaccinations as fall approaches
Experts recommend receiving updated flu and COVID-19 shots by late October to protect against the latest virus strains circulating this season.
Health officials are advising people to schedule their annual influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations as autumn begins, citing the need to guard against the most recent virus strains expected to circulate through the winter months. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that the flu shot be administered by the end of October, with earlier appointments in September or early October preferred.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved updated flu vaccines that target the influenza A (H3N2) subclade K virus, which was prevalent in the previous season. This year’s flu vaccine is a trivalent formulation covering two influenza A subtypes (H1N1 and H3N2) and an influenza B/Victoria lineage virus. In addition, the FDA authorized a new mRNA flu vaccine, mFLUSIVA, for adults aged 50 and older.
The federal health agencies also recommend that eligible individuals receive the latest COVID-19 boosters, which have been updated to address the JN.1 lineage XFG subvariant, the dominant strain worldwide. The updated boosters from Moderna, Novavax-Sanofi and Pfizer-BioNTech are authorized for adults 65 and older and for younger people with certain chronic health conditions.
Flu season in the United States typically runs from October through May, with peak activity between December and February, according to the CDC and the Cleveland Clinic. Vaccines are available at pharmacies, doctors’ offices and health departments across Michigan and elsewhere.
"The flu shot provides crucial lifesaving protection against severe illness and prevents spreading the flu to your loved ones," the American Lung Association said.
"Most physicians suggest vaccinations for their patients," a spokesperson for the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy noted.
The CDC recommends vaccination for everyone six months and older, with particular emphasis on older adults, people with chronic conditions, young children, and pregnant women. Costs are generally covered by insurance or offered at low price.