How to time your flu shot and pick the best option - The Seattle Times
Medical experts are encouraging the public to get flu and COVID-19 vaccinations as the fall respiratory virus season approaches. Due to a lack of updated CDC guidance, various medical associations have stepped in to provide vaccination recommendations for vulnerable populations.
Why it matters
Public health guidance is currently fragmented, making it essential for individuals to consult professional medical societies for preventative care advice.
Medical experts urge getting a flu vaccination soon, before influenza starts spreading widely — and to get up to date on protection against other fall respiratory viruses, too. Updated COVID-19 shots are available now, plus shots for people especially vulnerable to another winter risk called RSV.
While these infections make many people feel miserable for a few days before they recover, every year flu alone causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations in the U.S. and kills tens of thousands.
Vaccination isn’t “a guarantee that we’re going to prevent illness. But just like the seat belt in your car, it decreases risk” of the worst outcomes, said Dr. Ryan Stanton of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
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