Is It Too Late to Get the Flu Shot?
So, everyone you know is sick and you cannot afford a vacation if something is sick. It helps you eat well, sleep well, and wash your hands often , but now you may regret not getting the flu shot this year. It’s already late?
The good news is that while the flu is still circulating, it’s never too late to get vaccinated and still worth it, even if the vaccine isn’t perfect. The only sense that it might be “too late” is that if you wait too long, pharmacies may eventually run out. Call ahead to make sure the vaccine is available.
Take a look at the Centers for Disease Control’s data on influenza activity this season. Obviously, a lot of flu hasn’t happened yet. In most years , flu activity peaks in February , although each season is slightly different. The flushot will take abouttwo weeks to work , so the sooner you get it, the better. This is why it is best to get vaccinated before the flu season – you will be protected when it gets into your area. (This two-week window also explains why people sometimes feel that the flu shot gave them the flu, or that it didn’t protect them: if you got the flu during that two-week period, the shot didn’t give you enough time to take effect.)
But what if the vaccine doesn’t match the flu strains circulating this year? You will still receive a fair amount of protection. Here is the CDC’s data on vaccine efficacy over the past decade (figures for this year have yet to be released). The lowest efficiency in recent years was 19% in 2014-2015, which is much better than zero. In a good year like 2010-2011, the efficiency is 60%. The average over the past ten seasons is 44%.
Think about it. You can be protected from nearly half of the flu germs for free , or you can risk catching the flu on your own or by taking cover long enough to pass on to others. This is not difficult.
One final word on the myth that if you’re healthy, you don’t need a vaccine: people at greatest risk of complications from influenza are children under 5, older people over 65, pregnant women, people with asthma or diabetes, or pretty much many any serious health problems such as heart disease and cancer. If you have had any of these people in your life, your flu could become their flu .
This story was originally published in 2015 and has been updated on 02/18/2020 with more recent information.