Flu (Influenza) | HHS.gov

Everyone age 6 months and older needs to get the flu vaccine every year. It's part of the routine vaccine schedules for children, teens, and adults.

See the routine vaccination schedule for:

Its important to get the flu vaccine every year. Thats important for 2 reasons: first, immunity (protection) decreases with time. Additionally, the flu viruses are constantly changing so the vaccine is often updated to give the best protection.

Its especially important for people who are at high risk of developing complications from the flu to get the vaccine every year. People at high risk for complications from the flu include:

Try to get the flu vaccine by the end of October. It takes 2 weeks for your body to develop immunity. So its best to get the flu vaccine before the flu starts to spread in your community.

If you dont get the vaccine by the end of October, that doesnt mean you shouldnt get it getting vaccinated later can still help protect you from the flu. You can get vaccinated at any time throughout the flu season.

Its also very important for people who spend a lot of time with people at high risk for complications from the flu to get the vaccine for example, health care professionals and caregivers.

Talk with your doctor about how to protect your family from the flu.

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Flu (Influenza) | HHS.gov