It’s time to schedule flu vaccination

After a rough flu season last winter, federal health authorities are hopeful that this season’s vaccine is a better match for the predominant flu strains and will reduce illness.

However, you need to get the vaccine to benefit from that protection. Flu vaccines are now available in pharmacies, such as CVS and Walgreens on Amelia Island. The vaccine has been updated from last year to address three flu strains, including the dominant H3N2 strain that sickened many last winter.

“Flu can cause serious illness, hospitalization and death. It’s also a major cause of missed work and school,” says Dr.  Shalika Katugaha, medical director of select specialties and an infectious disease specialist at Baptist Health.

It’s a common misperception that flu vaccines aren’t helpful when they don’t perfectly
match the season’s circulating strains, she adds.

“One [myth] is that if there’s not a good match with the circulating virus, there is no help,” from the vaccine, she says. “That is not correct. You still benefit, based on your age and health, even if there’s not a great match.”

Who should get flu vaccine?

Flu vaccination is recommended for all Americans ages 6 months and older. The shots are available now, and experts recommend getting vaccinated before flu season ramps up — typically in October. Vaccines remain available throughout the winter.

Besides the traditional flu shot, a stronger-dose vaccine is available for older adults.
In addition, a flu nasal spray vaccine, FluMist, is an option for people ages 2 through 49.

Flu vaccine uptake nationwide is lower than desired. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, only 49% of children ages 6 months to 17 years received the flu vaccine last season. Last year, 190 U.S. children died from complications of flu. Children typically experience more symptoms than adults.

“We know [vaccines] are safe in children, and they can prevent not just hospitalizations and death but every year they prevent a substantial number of illnesses that result in trips to the doctor’s office,” said Dr. Kristina A. Bryant, a member of AAP’s Committee
on Infectious Diseases. “We want to keep kids healthy and going to school and parents healthy and going to work. Flu vaccines can help us accomplish that.” 

Vaccines are also traditionally recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Controversy overshadows vaccination efforts

Typically, federal health authorities provide information and advice at the start of the flu season on infectious respiratory illnesses. That guidance is missing this year due to the suspension of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The committee, which sets vaccine policy, has been suspended by the Trump Administration after controversy regarding which experts should serve on the panel.

The Trump administration and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have expressed doubt about the safety of some vaccines, a position that has been criticized by many public health organizations. However, the administration
continues to recommend annual flu vaccination.

A new vaccine for older adults

After some delay, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first mRNA flu vaccine, named mFLUSIVA, in August. Manufactured by Moderna, the vaccine has been heralded by medical experts for its improved efficacy. Approved for adults ages 50 and older, studies show the vaccine is 27% more effective than standard-dose flu shots.

However, studies show mFLUSIVA was linked to more side effects — such as soreness at the injection site, fatigue, muscle aches and headaches — compared to the traditional flu vaccine typically given to older adults.

The vaccine is also important because it uses mRNA technology which involves inserting mRNA molecules, encoding a particular flu virus protein, into lipid nanoparticles that can carry the mRNA into cells. The standard flu vaccine is grown in fertilized chicken eggs, which is a lengthy process.

According to vaccine experts, manufacturers can more quickly change the composition of mRNA vaccines to address the sudden emergence of new viral strains. The major COVID-19 vaccines, by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, were based on mRNA technology and are credited with preventing more than 2.5 million deaths worldwide, according to a recent study in the journal JAMA Health Forum.

The mRNA vaccine “is a big advance,” Katugaha says. The mRNA vaccine “platform is different ... and there is more scalable production, which allows us to respond faster” to emerging flu strains.

Moderna says the vaccine will be available for the upcoming flu season. However, it’s not clear when pharmacies will offer it and, because of the suspension of the ACIP committee, whether mFLUSIVA will be covered by insurance. CVS issued a statement saying it was evaluating the vaccine. It is not available in local pharmacies at this time.

Katugaha recommends accepting any flu shot that is available now instead of waiting for the mRNA vaccine.

“Anyone should get available flu vaccine now, in September or October, rather than waiting for the mRNA vaccine,” she says. “The current vaccines are well-established, and we shouldn’t be delaying and missing the time when you should get the vaccine.”

What about the COVID vaccine?

Flu vaccine can be given at the same time as Covid, RSV or pneumococcal vaccines, she adds. The 2026-27 Covid vaccine just became available and should arrive in pharmacies this week. The updated Covid shot targets a strain in circulation earlier this year, called the XFG variant.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the COVID vaccine for people 65 and older and younger people with health conditions that increase their risk of complications from COVID — a category that includes many Americans. Check with your pharmacy to make sure the COVID vaccine is covered by your insurance. Many professional medical groups continue to recommend annual Covid vaccination for people 6 months or older in consultation with a personal healthcare provider.