Flu season is in full swing, folks. Influenza, which ramped up early in the US this year, has already caused nearly 3 million illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus has also caused at least 23,000 hospitalizations and 1,300 deaths so far. So if you haven’t booked a flu shot appointment already, here’s your sign—especially because the vaccine’s protection doesn’t just magically appear overnight.
In fact, it can take up to two weeks after your vaccination for your body to reap the optimal benefits, per the CDC. This is because it takes time for your immune system to respond to the vaccine, and so your body needs a minute to build up protective, flu-fighting antibodies.
Because of this gap, the CDC usually recommends that people try to get vaccinated before the end of October—but that doesn’t mean it’s too late. According to the Mayo Clinic, even getting a flu shot as late as February can still help protect you from outbreaks that occur late in the season. Of course, the sooner you can get your shot, the better. (This is especially true for people who have a higher risk of flu complications, including people with certain health conditions, people older than 65, infants and toddlers, and those who are immunocompromised—as well as anyone who lives with a person in a high-risk group.)
“The flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related doctors visits each year,” Diana Finkel, DO, an associate professor of infectious diseases at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, previously told SELF.
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Other common-sense precautions are also worth remembering this winter. As SELF previously reported, wearing a face mask and social distancing don’t just help slow the spread of COVID—these steps can also help protect you and those around you from the flu and other respiratory illnesses, like RSV or even the common cold.
The bottom line: Since it takes up to two weeks for the flu shot to offer optimal protection, you should try to be extra vigilant until 14 days have passed since your appointment. And if you haven’t already gotten yours, make an appointment now to protect yourself—and your community—from an illness that’s already hospitalizing thousands.
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Source: SELF
