Experts Say Now Is the Ideal Time to Protect Yourself From Flu

October is here, making it a good time to schedule a flu shot.

Doctors recommend getting vaccinated before flu activity accelerates across the country. It is also a chance to update protection against other seasonal respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and RSV, which can pose serious risks to certain groups.

Although these illnesses often pass within several uncomfortable days, influenza alone sends hundreds of thousands of Americans to the hospital each year and contributes to tens of thousands of deaths.

A vaccine cannot guarantee that someone will avoid infection, said Dr. Ryan Stanton of the American College of Emergency Physicians. But, he added, vaccination works much like a car seat belt: It lowers the likelihood of the most serious consequences.

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Annual fall vaccine recommendations typically come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its independent advisory committee. This year, however, the panel is involved in a court dispute, and the CDC has not revised its flu guidance.

Several leading medical organizations are helping fill that void. The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Infectious Diseases Society of America have released recommendations for their patients, along with supporting scientific evidence.

Here are the key points to keep in mind: