Though it’s hard to believe with recent record high temperatures in South Florida, flu season is officially here and cases of the flu are already being reported nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reiterated their recommendation that everyone over six months old receive the flu vaccine, especially those at higher risk like the elderly, children and those with chronic conditions. But does everyone really need the vaccine, and how effective is it?

For people with certain chronic conditions such as heart disease, the flu vaccine can help prevent serious medical complications, especially among those who suffered a cardiac event in the past year. Flu vaccination has also shown to be associated with reduced hospitalizations among people with diabetes, chronic lung disease and asthma.

But what if you consider yourself pretty healthy? Getting vaccinated is still one of the most effective ways for you to protect not only your health, but the health of the people around you during flu season. Many people wait to get the flu vaccine until they hear about cases in their area or someone they know gets sick. What many don’t realize is that it takes up to two weeks to become immune to the flu after receiving the vaccine. This is why the CDC warns that the longer you wait, the higher the risk of contracting the flu virus and its potentially serious complications.

Some people question the effectiveness of a flu vaccine, since immunity can vary each year depending on which strains of flu are most prevalent. But, some effectiveness is still better than skipping your flu shot and having no immunity. Even if the vaccination doesn’t make you completely immune to the flu, it can still help you fight it. Those that receive the vaccine but still contract a strain of the flu will often have a milder case than those who do not get vaccinated.

Another common misconception is that the flu shot will give you the flu. While certain people may experience mild reactions, it is not the flu. Flu vaccines are made with inactive flu viruses that aren’t infectious, so it is impossible to contract the flu from the vaccine.

Flu vaccines are available as a shot or a nasal spray, and different flu vaccines are available for certain age groups. Adults 65 and older are at a higher risk for flu complications, accounting for 90% of flu-related deaths. For this reason, the CDC recommends adults over 65 years old to get the high-dose vaccine, which is more effective and contains four times the amount of antigen as a regular flu shot.

Most insurance plans cover the cost of these vaccines. Talk to your doctor about getting your flu shot today. If you do not have a primary care physician, call 305.674.2373 for a same or next day appointment with a Mount Sinai physician.