Even although getting a flu shot doesn’t take lengthy, it’s a job that’s simple to place off … and off … and off. There are so many different wants begging for our consideration, and for those who’re typically in good well being, you might assume it’s no massive deal to skip it. Before you realize it, months cross and you continue to haven’t gotten your flu shot.
If you haven’t gotten immunized but this flu season, you might be questioning for those who’ve missed your window. At this level, must you simply wait till subsequent fall? We requested infectious illness consultants for his or her recommendation.
How late is just too late?
Ideally, infectious illness specialist Dr. Linda Yancey says, everybody ought to get a flu shot as quickly because it turns into accessible earlier than flu season (which is taken into account throughout fall and winter).
“We can’t know when the flu season goes to start out and the vaccine takes a few weeks to get to full effectiveness, so it’s best to get the vaccine as quickly as you may,” she advises.
UNLV infectious illness epidemiologist Brian Labus agrees. “The finest time to get the flu shot is earlier than the flu begins to flow into. In a typical 12 months, (the flu begins circulating) between Thanksgiving and Christmas, with the season actually taking off when youngsters return to highschool in January. It takes about three weeks after getting the flu shot to succeed in most safety, so sooner is healthier than later,” he says.
Additionally, Labus notes, if it’s been greater than six months because you’ve gotten a flu shot, it’s price getting one once more now, as a result of the vaccine presents safety just for about six months.
As Labus factors out, proper now — the vacation season — is when the flu actually begins going round, and it’ll proceed to flow into in January. That implies that it’s completely nonetheless price getting your flu shot for those who haven’t gotten it but. In truth, it’s by no means too late to get a flu shot.
“Flu season runs from October to March, however there’s sporadic flu occurring all 12 months spherical. The extra safety, the higher,” Yancey says.
Biggest flu shot fable
Both consultants say that it’s a significant fable that getting the flu vaccine will trigger you to get the flu. “This is completely not potential as a result of the virus within the vaccine has been killed and can’t multiply or trigger illness. If you bought the flu the day after the flu shot, it isn’t from the vaccine. It is from being round sick individuals on the pharmacy or in your physician’s workplace,” Labus explains.
You could really feel a bit worse for put on the subsequent day after getting vaccinated, however this doesn’t imply you’ve got the flu. “The flu shot could make individuals really feel a bit of run down the subsequent day,” Yancey says. “But that may be a good factor: The fever and achiness is a marker of a pleasant brisk immune response and good, high-level immunity.”
“People can have gentle unintended effects after any vaccination, together with the flu shot,” Labus notes. “The commonest aspect impact of the flu shot is a sore arm, however some individuals can also expertise some gentle unintended effects like gentle fever and fatigue, however these resolve in a day or two.”
He provides that any unintended effects from a vaccine are a lot much less extreme than coming down with the precise sickness you’re getting vaccinated in opposition to.
If you don’t wish to get the flu vaccine on your personal well being, Yancey says to do it for others. “While most individuals recover from the flu with out subject, influenza kills hundreds of weak Americans yearly. Even for those who don’t get it for your self, get it to guard your aged grandmother and new child niece,” she says.
