Summer has ended and flu season is here. The best way to reduce your risk of seasonal flu and serious complications is to get a flu vaccine every year. Protecting yourself against the flu is far easier than treating the flu.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccination for everyone six months and older, with rare exceptions. September and October are the best months to get vaccinated, and ideally everyone should be vaccinated by the end of October.
Benefits of the Flu Shot
Flu vaccination provides many important benefits:
Prevention: Helps prevent flu illness, reduces doctor visits, and lowers the number of missed school or work days. It also reduces flu-related hospitalizations and deaths. The CDC estimates that the flu has caused between 4,900 and 51,000 deaths in the U.S. each year from 2010 to 2023.
Protection for chronic conditions: Flu vaccination is especially important for individuals with chronic health conditions, helping reduce the risk of severe complications.
Pregnancy benefits: Protects pregnant women from flu-related illness and hospitalization. It also provides protection for babies during their first months of life before they are old enough to be vaccinated.
Children’s safety: A 2017 study found flu vaccination to be lifesaving for children.
Reduced severity: Even if you get sick, vaccination has been shown to reduce the severity of illness.
Why Annual Flu Shots Are Necessary
Viruses change every year. Flu viruses are constantly evolving, and vaccines are updated each season to target the strains expected to be most common.
Protection declines over time. The effectiveness of the flu vaccine decreases, which is why yearly vaccination is necessary for continued protection.
High-risk populations need added protection. Vaccination is especially important for older adults, young children, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic health conditions.
Timing Matters
Although influenza viruses circulate year-round, flu activity usually increases in October and peaks between December and February. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, flu activity has become less predictable, making annual vaccination more important than ever.
For most people who only need one dose of flu vaccine each season, September and October are the best times to be vaccinated.
Where to Get Your Flu Shot
Flu vaccines are widely available and convenient. They are offered at:
Doctors’ offices and clinics
Pharmacies
Urgent care centers
Local health departments
Workplaces and community health centers
Protect Yourself and Your Community
Getting a flu shot is one of the simplest steps you can take to protect your health and the health of those around you. By choosing vaccination, you reduce the spread of flu and help prevent serious illness in vulnerable populations. Schedule your flu shot today at your local West Tennessee Medical Group Primary Care Clinic. Find a location near you.
Updated on September 1, 2025
