“We might be seeing an early flu wave this year,” says Emily Martin, professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, pointing to national clinical surveillance data collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that shows an uptick of flu cases in the U.S. in recent weeks.
Getting the flu shot now is a good idea, Martin says, as it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to become fully effective. She adds that October is generally an ideal time to get the flu vaccine because it not only offers protection from early waves of the virus, but also gives continued coverage through January and February when flu cases are typically at their peak.
The flu vaccine is available as a shot or nasal spray. For the first time, a flu shot using mRNA technology is available this year. In a study published in May 2026, the mRNA-based flu shot, produced by Moderna and called mFlusiva, was up to 27% more effective in preventing flu than any of four currently available flu shots. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved mFlusiva for people ages 50 and older.
Is the flu shot effective?
Flu vaccination helps prevent infection and significantly reduces the risk of severe disease and death. The CDC estimates that flu vaccination prevented 10 million flu-related illnesses, 180,000 flu-related hospitalizations, and 12,000 flu-related deaths in the U.S. during the 2024–2025 flu season.
But flu vaccination rates have been declining across the U.S. in recent years. Flu vaccination among children fell from 63% in the 2019–2020 flu season to 50% in 2024–2025—a drop of 13 percentage points. About 300 children died in 2024-2025 because of complications related to the flu. Most of them were unvaccinated, the CDC says.
Who should get a flu shot?
Earlier this year, the CDC, under direction from the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., tried to reduce the number of routinely recommended childhood vaccinations from 17 to 11. Seasonal flu was one of the six vaccines no longer recommended to all children. A federal judge blocked the move.
Doctors and vaccine scientists say the Trump Administration’s moves have sown confusion and skepticism about vaccines.
If people have questions about vaccines, they should speak to their doctor, Kaushik says. “I encourage parents and patients to ask their clinicians any questions they have. Clinicians are on their side.”
The flu vaccine remains “our best bet” at preventing hospitalization and serious complications from the flu in both adults and children, Kaushik says. It reduces the risk of dying from the flu by 80% for children.
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