In early October 2004, the nation lost about half its expected influenza vaccine supply when one of two major manufacturers announced it would not release any vaccine for the 2004–05 season because of potential contamination.
A VE of only 16% was observed from the 2021-22 seasonal flu vaccine in protecting the US population from contracting the most common influenza virus in current circulation, A(H3N2).
Everyone 6 months of age and older needs a flu vaccine. For 2021-2022, CDC recommends use of any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine as an option for vaccination this season.
Late Flu Shots So when is it too late to get vaccinated against the flu? So it is really never too late to get a flu vaccine.
For the 2021-2022 season, vaccine effectiveness against medical visits for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) related to the predominant influenza strain, A(H3N2), landed at a non-significant 16% (95% CI -16 to 39), reported Jessie Chung, MPH, of the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues.
Medical Conditions That Weaken Your Immune System You might have heard that a flu vaccine weakens your immune system, but that's not true. The vaccine prepares your immune system for the flu.
Early on, researchers thought that natural immunity to COVID-19 only lasted for about 2 to 3 months before fading. As the pandemic continued, experts started finding evidence that natural immunity could last for almost a year after infection.
The higher dose of antigen in the vaccine is intended to give people 65 years and older a better immune response to vaccination, and therefore, better protection against flu. Both Fluzone High-Dose and Fluzone Quadrivalent (standard dose) are produced by the same manufacturer and are quadrivalent vaccines.
The flu shot offers protection against the flu for about 6 months. A person should get a flu shot every year, and the best time to get one is the end of October.
To recap, the CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October, although it is never too late, as peak flu season occurs between December and February. Getting the yearly flu vaccine can protect you from severe flu illnesses, which could require hospitalization.
Preventing the Flu With the Annual Vaccine For the 2021-2022 flu season, a quadrivalent vaccine is available. This means that your flu shot is formulated to protect against four different strains of the flu virus. All patients over six months old may receive this vaccine!
Getting the vaccine later is better than not getting it at all. It's still flu season well into spring. Even then it's not too late for you and your family to get the flu vaccine. Many health care providers give flu vaccines through May if the flu virus is still circulating.