When to Get the Flu Shot
The symptoms have already appeared in your pharmacy, and your doctor may insist on it too, but is it time to get a flu shot?
The flu season runs from fall to early spring, and you definitely want to get ready, but this is the case when the early birds don’t get infected with the worm. Or maybe they will if the worm is the flu in March because their September flu shot has already passed.
According to NPR , science hasn’t made definitive conclusions about how long protection against flu shots lasts. Some studies show that if the flu strain hasn’t mutated, last year’s vaccine still protects you; other studies show that a flu shot can last no longer than eight months, especially if you are over 65.
An early flu shot is definitely better than no flu shot at all, but it’s best to wait until around mid-October. Thus, even if your immunity lasts only six months, it will take you into peak flu season.
If you’re reading this after October, don’t worry, better late than never. And if not for yourself, do it for the herd – your immunity protects those around you who cannot get the flu shot themselves.