When should I get vaccinated?
You
should get a flu vaccine before flu viruses begins spreading in your community,
since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in
the body and provide protection against flu. Make plans to get vaccinated early
in fall, before flu season begins. CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine
by the end of October, if possible. Getting vaccinated later, however, can
still be beneficial and vaccination should continue to be offered throughout
the flu season, even into January or later.
Getting
vaccinated early (for example, in July or August) is likely to be associated
with reduced protection against flu infection later in the flu season,
particularly among older adults.
Children
who need two doses of
vaccine to be protected should start the vaccination process sooner, because
the two doses must be given at least four weeks apart.