You can use the C.D.C.’s vaccine portal to find clinics, pharmacies and other locations that offer flu vaccines near you.
Should seniors, pregnant women and young children get the flu shot?
People who are 65 or older are at high risk of developing serious complications from the flu, including pneumonia and inflammation of the lungs, that can cause difficulty breathing and lead to hospitalization and the need to be put on a ventilator. An influenza infection can also increase the risk of heart attack and stroke in older adults, said Dr. Tara Vijayan, an infectious disease doctor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. “As we get older, we have a natural decline in our immune responses,” she said.
Older people also tend to respond more poorly to vaccination compared with younger adults. That’s why the C.D.C.’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices updated its recommendation this year for people who are 65 or older to receive one of three flu vaccines specially designed to better activate older immune systems against the flu. Some of these vaccines have been around for several years before the recommendation was formalized. One option is the Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine, which contains four times the dose of a standard flu shot. Another option is the Flublok Quadrivalent vaccine, which is created from a small piece of genetic material from the virus. The third option is the Fluad Quadrivalent vaccine, which is manufactured with an adjuvant, a substance that enhances the body’s immune response. Many doctors and pharmacists are proactively offering these options for older adults, but it is still a good idea to check when you go for your shot, since this is the first year of the new recommendation, Dr. Martin said.
The C.D.C. and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommend that pregnant women are vaccinated against the flu to protect themselves and their fetuses. Just as the body experiences immune decline while it ages, it also tones down its immune responses during pregnancy, Dr. Talbot said. And the diaphragm, a muscle below the lungs, tends to move higher to accommodate the growing fetus, changing the way pregnant women breathe and making them more susceptible to respiratory infections.
While postpartum women, even if they are breastfeeding, can receive any flu vaccine approved for their age, pregnant womenshould avoid the FluMist nasal spray vaccine, which contains live virus. This is because the virus in the vaccine could theoretically cross the placenta and infect the fetus, even though it has been “attenuated” or weakened, Dr. Talbot said. The vaccines available to pregnant women contain inactivated or dead virus, or just a small piece of the virus that cannot cause infection.
Children become eligible for flu shots at 6 months old. The very first time they receive a flu vaccine, they need to get two doses, four weeks apart. After that, they can get one flu shot a year, Dr. Talbot said. Children who are older than 2 have the option of getting the FluMist nasal vaccine if they are afraid of needles.
What are the side effects of the flu vaccine?
All flu vaccines have a good safety record. The side effects tend to be mild and go away in 24 hours to 48 hours, Dr. Martin said. You may experience some soreness or slight swelling around the injection site. Other common side effects include a general feeling of malaise, headaches, muscle aches and nausea.
