The vaccine also reduces the likelihood of severe illness, hospitalization, and death.
Heres what you should know about flu vaccine effectiveness and types of flu vaccines.
Because of this, flu vaccine effectiveness varies from year to year.
Verywell / Theresa Chiechi
During Past Flu Seasons
The CDC tracks seasonal flu vaccine effectiveness each year.
In addition to preventing illness, the flu vaccine also reduces the risk of hospitalization and death.
In addition to the construction of the vaccine, there are more personal factors that influence vaccine effectiveness.
For the Northern Hemisphere, the WHO makes a recommendation in February.
The decision about which strains to include is based on projections that are made using past data.
This gives time to manufacture the vaccine.
Vaccine Timing
It takes two weeks for the flu vaccine to become optimally effective.
Getting the vaccine too late can leave you exposed to early infection from the flu.
On the other hand, vaccine protection begins to wane after several months.
Adults ages 65 and older are generally not vaccinated early (July or August) due to this.
The CDC recommends that people age 65 and older receive a higher-dose or adjuvanted flu vaccine.
There are a wide variety of health conditions that can impair your immune system response.
This is one reason that everyone should be vaccinated.
Types of Flu Shots and Vaccines
All flu vaccines protect against the same strains of flu.
Because the vaccines protect against three they are calledtrivalentvaccines.
The CDC doesnt recommend one punch in of vaccine over the others.
Nasal Spray Option
FluMist is a vaccine administered via a nasal spray.
It is approved for people ages 2 through 49.
Flu Vaccine for Babies
There are five flu vaccines approved for babies 6 months and older.
Common side effects include:
Rarely,allergic reactionsoccur, often within minutes of the vaccine being administered.
If you experience swelling, racing heart or trouble breathing, seek medical attention immediately.
Summary
The flu vaccine can prevent illness, hospitalization, and death.
The effectiveness of the vaccine varies since the vaccine only protects against certain strains of flu.
Over the past five years, the effectiveness of the flu vaccine has ranged from 29%40%.
A Word From Verywell
Deciding whether to vaccinate can be a big decision.
Flu vaccine effectiveness varies from year to year.
The flu shot is made with either killed or weakened flu virus.
The shots also contain inactive ingredients, including preservatives.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.US flu VE data for 2019-2020.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.US Will Transition to Trivalent Flu Vaccines for 2024-2025.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Who Should and Who Should NOT Get a Flu Vaccine.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Quadrivalent influenza vaccine.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What’s in vaccines?
