When’s the best time to get your flu shot?

[AussieNeil]

Why we should get the flu shot each year, when to get it, when is it too late and much more by Ian Barr, Deputy Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza: theconversation.com/whens-t...

Note this article was written for the Southern Hemisphere, so Northern Hemisphere residents will need to shift the months by about 6 months.

Some of us may benefit from two flu shots - early and late in the season.

Neil

[GMa27]

May seems way too early. I get it every Sept or early Oct. Doc says it takes 2-3 weeks to protect us.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to GMa27]

Times for the Northern hemisphere will be 6 months later than for the Southern hemisphere.

[GMa27 in reply to AussieNeil]

Oops I forget this site is from all over the world!! I usually think in terms of USA weather/ seasons.

Point then is always get flu shot a month or so before cold weather and flu season begins for everyone's particular area. 💕

[JigFettler Volunteer]

My son in Melbourne tells me your nights are drawing in!

😉

Jig. UK.

[Ironj]

I get my flu shot in September or October without fail.

[DriedSeaweed]

Where is that picture taken?

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to DriedSeaweed]

No land between there and the Antarctic, 1,300km away...

[thb4747]

Neil, they became available in NZ on 1 April. I’ve had mine!

[CLLerinOz Administrator]

Hi Neil,

I remember having this conversation last year and I pushed my flu shot out a bit as the result of the advice I received then. I didn’t get the flu so I guess an early-mid May shot did the trick then.

It seems that the flu season is early in Southern Australia this year but I’m holding my breath and getting my shot in the second week of May again this year, which is consistent with the advice in the article you’ve supplied. Thanks for the reassurance. I was beginning to wonder if I’d left it too late this year as I know someone who’s just come down with the flu.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to CLLerinOz]

Here's what's known so far about this year's flu season in the Southern hemisphere:

theconversation.com/we-cant...

I'll be getting my flu vaccination about the same time as you

[CLLerinOz Administrator in reply to AussieNeil]

Fingers crossed we both get through unscathed 🙂

[Greykittys]

I used to get the flu shot in Sept or Oct. I didn’t get it until early Nov last year, and Dr Rai said “that’s when you really should be getting it”.