I am concerned about chain pharmacies such as Walmart continuing to have signs urging patrons to have Flu shots year-round. Yesterday, I was approached and strongly urged to be vaccinated while entering Walmart. I stated I would have the vaccination later.
The flu season starts in November and runs until May. It usually peaks from December to February. The
vaccine takes two to 4 weeks for recipients to develop complete immunity, and immunity diminishes after six months, so shots are recommended yearly.
Also, there are multiple types of viruses: 18 different hemagglutinin subtypes and 11 different neuraminidase subtypes (CDC). The CDC vaccine estimates which subtypes will cause problems each year, and 3 or 4 types are included in each year’s shot. The best time for a flu vaccination is mid-October, not now.
