New COVID, flu strains circulating. What new vaccines protect against - Lansing State Journal
Health officials are urging the public to prepare for the upcoming flu and COVID-19 season by getting updated vaccinations. Experts recommend receiving the flu shot by late October and note that new COVID-19 boosters are available to target the prevalent JN.1 lineage.
Why it matters
Timely vaccination is a primary public health strategy to reduce the burden of respiratory illnesses on the healthcare system during winter months.
Health experts recommend people start thinking about their annual fall flu and COVID shots as fall approaches, to help protect against the latest strains and variants circulating this fall and winter.
The flu shot provides crucial lifesaving protection against severe illness and prevents spreading the flu to your loved ones, according to the American Lung Association. Experts recommend getting your flu shot by late October, and opt for earlier in September or October if possible, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ahead of flu season, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recommended updated flu vaccines to protect against the influenza A (H3N2) subclade K virus of the flu that spread during last year's flu season, the CDC said.
Flu season in the U.S. typically runs from October to May, peaking in the winter between December and February, the CDC and Cleveland Clinic said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in