Flu vaccine facts

Just about everyone! Nearly everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccination every year, with rare exception. People with egg allergies can get flu vaccinations too – no extra precautions are needed.

All flu vaccines in the US are quadrivalent. That means they protect against 4 different strains of the flu. Vaccine options include:

• Standard-dose flu shot. Recommended for people ages 6 months and older. There are many different brand options.
• Flu nasal spray vaccine (brand name FluMist). Approved for people ages 2 through 49 who don’t want to get a flu shot. FluMist is not recommended for pregnant people, immunocompromised people, or people with certain medical conditions.
• Vaccines for people 65 years and older. Older adults may not get as much protection from a standard flu shot. They are also at higher risk for developing serious complications. Special vaccines are recommended for people in this age group:

• Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine
• Flublok Quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine
• Fluad Quadrivalent adjuvanted flu vaccine

Learn more about different flu vaccine options.

Is it safe to get a flu vaccine at the same time as other vaccines?

Yes! It is safe to get the flu vaccine at the same time as other vaccinations, like COVID-19 vaccine. This can save you time and money.

It’s important to get a flu vaccine every year for two reasons:

1. The immunity (protection) you get from flu vaccination decreases over time. That means the flu shot you got last flu season isn’t going to offer you much protection during this flu season.
2. There are lots of different strains of flu, and they’re all constantly changing. Each year, scientists try to design vaccines that match the circulating strains. When you get vaccinated every year, you’re giving yourself the best protection from the flu viruses circulating in the community.

Can the flu vaccine give me the flu?

Rest assured; the flu vaccine cannot give you the flu. But there are lots of good reasons you might mistakenly think that happened:

• It takes about two weeks to fully build immunity after vaccination. It’s possible that you were exposed to the flu a few days before or a few days after getting vaccinated.
• You might have a different infection, like COVID, RSV, or even a common cold.
• It’s possible to get vaccinated but still get the flu. The protection provided by flu vaccine varies from season to season. It depends on the age and health of the person getting the vaccine. It also depends on the similarity or “match” between the vaccine and the viruses spreading in the community. Even if you do catch the flu after vaccination, you are much less likely to have severe complications, be hospitalized, or die.