Flu season is not like fishing season; it does not have a fixed start date.
And many years after an initial peak caused by one of the influenza A viruses, H3N2 or H1N1, there will be a second wave of illness triggered by influenza B, in March and April. And over the past six years, less than 10 percent of people were vaccinated by the end of September. All rights reserved. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, The essential guide to taking care of your mind and body. If you’ve got questions around the flu vaccine 2020, including flu vaccine NZ costs, check out this article. If you think that you may benefit from receiving the flu vaccine, you should speak to your GP or pharmacist who will assess your risk factors. Some years the worst of the action is in late January and early February. That might seem small, but people aren't starting from 100 percent protection. How harsh or mild will the outbreak be? ©2020 Verizon Media. "Until we get more data, frankly I think the very best approach is to try to make sure we get flu vaccine into people just before flu activity starts, not something convenient to when the marketers want to get people in the door of department stores and grocery stores.". Usually it takes around a fortnight for your body to build up this protection, after receiving the vaccination. A: The flu vaccine does not protect you against coronavirus. By getting the influenza vaccine, you’ll significantly reduce your chances of getting sick with flu. The level of protection given by the flu vaccine varies from person to person – depending on a number of factors, including health and age. Influenza is more than just a bad cold. Even though it does not provide 100% protection, it’s our best bet in keeping ourselves safe from the flu.

Other scientists say it's too soon to jump to a conclusion that would require changing recommendations.

(The decline was a bit steeper for protection against H3N2 viruses.) Although the annual effort always falls short of vaccinating everyone -- the CDC estimated that only 40 percent of people had been vaccinated by early November, its most up-to-date data -- the US uses more than 100 million doses of flu vaccine every year.

If you've been meaning to get a flu shot but haven't gotten around to it, you can still get one -- but you'd be ill-advised to wait much longer. Although you can get a flu shot any time during flu season, the timing does matter. This insured that our most vulnerable groups were vaccinated first, and the health system was able to prepare for a coronavirus pandemic. Please note however that pharmacies are only able to vaccinate those aged 13 years and older. © 2020 nib nz limited, 48 Shortland St, Auckland. "It is hugely disruptive to try to immunize millions of people in a six- to eight-week period beginning in October or November. But Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said there's enough evidence now to suggest early vaccination efforts -- part of an attempt by commercial pharmacies to capture a bigger piece of the flu vaccine pie -- should be discouraged. If these symptoms persist, or are causing concern, you should contact your doctor. This includes any at risk groups (such as pregnant women or those over 65 years) who have not been able to get vaccinated. It can be jarring to see placards advertising "Flu Shots Today" in late July or early August in 80-degree weather.

For the best experience, we recommend upgrading to a fully supported browser. It may take 10 to 14 days for your immunity to build up fully after you have had the flu vaccine. For the first time, there was a staged approach to the flu vaccinations in 2020. But which strain of the flu will be the major cause of illness? Protection against all the two influenza A families and influenza B viruses all declined steadily in the months after vaccination, at a rate of about 7 percent per month. The biggest challenge for those who plan flu vaccination campaigns is the mercurial virus itself.
Children eligible for the flu vaccine aged between 2 and 17 will usually have the nasal spray flu vaccine. "I have been concerned for some time that we have gotten into the marketing of influenza vaccine versus the effective use of influenza vaccine. Ferdinands noted that very few people actually get vaccinated in the summer. Make sure to call in advance, to double check appointment and vaccine availability.