The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get a flu shot. Young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with certain chronic medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, and heart disease are at increased risk of serious flu-related complications.

The viruses that are most likely to affect people each flu season change from year to year.

Yes, but it can vary from year to year among age and risk groups. Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of serious outcomes like hospitalizations and death.

Inactivated Vaccine
This vaccine contains a killed flu virus. It is approved for use in people 6 months and older, people with chronic medical conditions, and pregnant women.

Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine
This nasal-spray flu vaccine is made with live, weakened flu viruses. The viruses in the nasal spray vaccine do not cause the flu, but may cause some nasal congestion.

The flu vaccine is safe, effective, and it does not cause the flu. People who have had severe reactions to a flu shot, have had Guillain-Barre Syndrome, are younger than 6 months, or are sick with a fever should talk to their doctor before getting their shot.

Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. Flu viruses can cause mild to severe illness, including common signs and symptoms listed above. Other signs and symptoms of COVID-19, different from flu, may include change in or loss of taste or smell.

Typically, a person develops COVID-19 symptoms 5 days after being infected, but symptoms can appear as early as 2 days after infection or as late as 14 days after infection. In the other hand, a person develops flu symptoms anywhere from 1 to 4 days after infection.

While COVID-19 is preventable, there is currently no treatment for it. People who develop flu symptoms can be treated with antiviral drugs to relieve symptoms and complications.