This year’s flu season may arrive later than usual, but that does not necessarily mean it will be mild. It does mean that it’s not too late to get your flu vaccine.
There is no one-to-one correlation between cold weather and getting sick.
That old adage about stepping outside and catching a cold does not tell the whole story. What does matter is that winter pushes people indoors and into closer contact, making it easier for viruses to spread.
Children’s National Hospital infectious disease physician Dr. Alexandra Yonts told WTOP that this year’s flu season may arrive later than usual, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be mild.
She warned flu cases could start climbing “after Christmas and New Year’s,” when people travel and families gather.
“Last year, almost 300 children died from influenza, and most of (them) were previously healthy,” Yonts said.
She said one reason the flu shot remains essential is for protecting people with respiratory illnesses, existing health conditions or weakened immune systems.
And no, the flu shot cannot give you the flu.
“In common vocabulary, we throw around the term ‘flu’ to mean any sort of viral illness that gives us a fever. But there are hosts of other viruses that are not covered by the influenza vaccine that can still make you sick,” she said. “Protecting you against influenza specifically is still a priority.”
Yonts added that getting vaccinated is especially important before visiting young children, elderly relatives or immunocompromised family members during the holidays.
“Think of it as doing it for those people, if you aren’t interested in doing it just for yourself,” she said.
If you’re behind, Yonts said getting both the flu shot and the updated COVID booster at the same visit is completely safe: “That has been studied, and it shows there’s no major difference in the side effects. If anything, you’re getting them both out of the way at once.”
Flu shots are recommended for those 6 months old and older, and doctors say it takes about two weeks to build full immunity.
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