Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 Flu Shot From an MD: How It Works, Benefits and Timing
Flu season starts in October, peaking between December and February. Here's your 2024 flu shot guide
As fall approaches and flu season begins, you may have already seen reminders urging you to get your 2024 flu shot. Annual vaccination is key to staying protected from seasonal flu viruses. Since the flu virus changes every year, vaccination helps your body protect itself from the most common strains.
In this guide, we spoke to healthcare professionals specializing in infectious diseases who cover all you need to know about the flu shot and its benefits.
What is the flu?
Woman's World Answers
The flu is a highly contagious respiratory illness that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs, caused by the influenza virus. It comes with a range of symptoms, including sudden fever, cough, sore throat and a runny or stuffy nose. However, some people with the flu are asymptomatic and can spread the virus without knowing.
“Flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when someone with flu coughs, sneezes, or talks,” explains Benjamin Barlow, MD, Chief Medical Officer of American Family Care. But you can also get infected by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face, nose or eyes.
While most cases are mild, the flu can become a serious illness. High-risk groups include older adults, children, pregnant people, people with obesity and people with chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease. “These conditions can put you at serious risk for complications from the flu, including hospitalization or dying from flu-related illnesses,” adds Dr. Barlow.
How does the flu shot work?
“The flu shot contains a weakened or inactive form of the flu virus,” explains Dr. Barlow. “When you get the shot, the vaccine stimulates your immune system to produce antibodies to fight the virus if you were to catch it.” You can either get vaccinated by injection into the arm (the flu shot) or with a nasal spray vaccine. However, Suraj Saggar, DO, Chief of Infectious Disease at Holy Name Medical Center, notes that some demographics are advised against the nasal spray, including pregnant people and those with a weakened immune system.
The flu shot effectively protects you for about six months. However, its effectiveness depends on how good a match the virus strains in the vaccine are to the strains circulating during each flu season. “Antibody levels may decline over time,” adds Dr. Saggar. “New flu vaccines are released every year to keep up with [the] rapidly changing flu virus thus the need for an annual flu vaccine.”
The benefits of the flu shot
By getting vaccinated, you can reduce your risk of having the flu. “The flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related doctor’s visits every year,” says Dr. Barlow. “The last flu season before COVID-19 hit, the CDC reported flu vaccinations prevented about 7 million influenza illnesses, 3 million flu-related medical visits, 100,000 hospitalizations and 7,000 influenza-associated deaths.”
“Even when the vaccine doesn’t completely prevent the flu, it may lessen the severity of your illness,” and reduce the risk of serious complications, adds Dr. Saggar. Like any vaccine, it also protects the people around you in your community unable to get vaccinated, such as small children and people with weakened immune systems.
Understanding the flu shot side effects
Most people experience no side effects after the flu shot. However, “common side effects of the flu vaccine include pain, redness or swelling at the site where the vaccine was injected, muscle aches, fatigue and headaches,” says Shirin Mazumder, MD, an Infectious Diseases Physician at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. “Typically if side effects occur, they tend to be mild and resolve within one to three days.”
Dr. Barlow emphasizes that serious side effects occur rarely: “Remember, any side effect you might have after getting a flu shot will probably be less severe than symptoms of the flu itself.”
Dr. Mazumder also debunks the belief that the flu shot causes the virus. “The flu vaccine uses an inactivated form of the virus that cannot cause the flu. Flu vaccines are well tolerated with extensive research supporting the safety profile.” Consult your doctor or healthcare professional if you have further questions or concerns and they can help you make a more informed decision regarding vaccination.
How to get the flu shot
The CDC recommends yearly flu vaccination for anyone older than six months. Types available include the regular dose, high dose and quadrivalent vaccines that protect against four strands of the virus. Your provider may help you select the right type for you, usually based on age or health background. People 65 and older often take the high-dose vaccine. “These…help to build a stronger immune response to fight off the flu,” explains Dr. Mazumder.
“Get vaccinated before Halloween to give the vaccine enough time to take effect before the peak of flu season,” advises Dr. Barlow. Wait until September, adds Dr. Mazumder, as getting vaccinated too early can lead to weaker protection once flu season starts in October. ”It takes approximately two weeks to make protective antibodies after the vaccine is given,” she adds.
The vaccine is available at your local pharmacy, public health clinic, doctor’s office and even through your employer. Most health insurance plans cover the flu shot as preventive care. For those not covered by insurance, the flu vaccine is available at a low cost.
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