Seasonal Flu Vaccine

Seasonal Flu

In this post:

• Introduction – seasonal flu
• Why get vaccinated?
• Who should get vaccinated?
• Resources

Introduction

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, just in time for the back-to-school season and just before flu (or “influenza”) season takes hold. Influenza is considered a seasonal illness, even though the flu virus can be detected year-round, because most flu cases take place between October and May, with peaks in activity usually occurring between December and February. Influenza is just one of the respiratory viruses that circulate throughout the population, with others like RSV occurring around the same season, and still others like COVID-19 occurring year-round. No one likes getting the flu, and it can be deadly, especially for vulnerable populations like infants, the elderly, and people with immunocompromising or other chronic health conditions.

Why Get Vaccinated?

First, getting vaccinated helps reduce your risk of getting sick from influenza. Second, it also helps reduce the risk that you are going to spread the flu to vulnerable populations. We think it’s worth it to protect our loved ones.

While getting vaccinated is not a guarantee that you won’t get the flu or that you won’t have symptoms from it, it can greatly reduce the likelihood – by as much as 60%.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

Flu vaccines are generally recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older. Some people who have had complications from flu vaccines in the past or have a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome should consult a doctor before deciding to get a flu vaccine. Some flu vaccines are only recommended for adults, not for children, so be sure to get a flu vaccine appropriate for your age. Adults older than 65 should get a flu vaccine specifically formulated for their age group.

In previous years, people who had egg allergies were not recommended to get a flu vaccine, but that has changed as of the 2023-2024 flue season.

For more detailed information, go to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) Who Should and Who Should NOT Get a Flu Vaccine website.

Resources

Flu vaccines are available at most pharmacies beginning around August to September, and extending until the end of the flu season around May or sometimes as late as June. You can also get flu shots from your local primary care clinic (that’s us at ICHC!). Many types of flu vaccines are available at reduced or no cost in the state of Alaska at various qualified locations, in particular at Community Health Centers funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (again, that’s us at ICHC!). Some places, like pharmacies, allow walk-in vaccine administration, while others might require an appointment.

To learn more about influenza and the influenza vaccine, you can check out the CDC’s helpful pages here.

Author

The Quality Team @ ICHC The Quality department at ICHC brings you helpful information about your healthcare in Fairbanks and Healy, AK. We are proudly committed to ensuring high-quality "healthcare with a heart!"