Influenza season goes until spring, so getting the vaccine late can still give you some protection.
In the United States, annual flu vaccine campaigns begin in early September, before temperatures start to cool down and the cycle of people catching and spreading virus commences. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that most people get vaccinated as soon as updated shots become available for the season. And in an ideal world everyone would be vaccinated by the end of October.
But what if you missed the pop-up vaccine clinic at work and put off going to a pharmacy or doctor’s office for your shots?
Experts, including those at the C.D.C., say it’s better to get the vaccine late than to skip it entirely. Flu season runs from October to May, with a peak usually occurring in February. Getting vaccinated at any time during the season can keep you from falling ill and missing work or school.
Vaccine effectiveness can vary a lot depending on the season. But even when the vaccine fails at preventing infection, it can still reduce the severity of symptoms and lower your chances of hospitalization, said Dr. Sean Liu, an assistant professor of infectious disease at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. In vulnerable groups, like pregnant women, older adults and very young children, the vaccine can also save lives, Dr. Liu said. A 2022 study in children, for example, found that the flu vaccine reduced children’s risk of severe life-threatening influenza by 75 percent.