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5d ago

Early Flu Activity Prompts Officials to Urge Immediate Vaccination

Health authorities warn that a rise in cases and hospitalizations in parts of the U.S. could mean an earlier flu season and that timely vaccination will blunt its impact.

Christopher Garrison gets a flu shot at an Austin Independent School District Showcase. This flu season is expected to be similar to last year. 
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California health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated as flu activity begins rising earlier than usual this year.
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Overview

  • Surveillance in early October shows influenza cases and hospital visits rising sooner than normal in parts of the country, especially California and central Texas, prompting state health briefings that recommend getting vaccinated now.
  • The CDC continues to recommend annual flu shots for people 6 months and older for the 2026–27 season because vaccination cuts the risk of illness, severe disease, and hospitalization.
  • The FDA approved mFLUSIVA, the first mRNA flu vaccine, for adults 50 and older in August but many clinics and pharmacies may not yet offer it this season.
  • Vaccination rates have fallen among children in recent years and most pediatric flu deaths last season were in unvaccinated kids, which public-health groups cite as a reason to prioritize immunization for children and high-risk people.
  • People should get a flu shot now because protection takes about two weeks to build, vaccines are widely offered at clinics and pharmacies at low or no cost, and antivirals are effective if started early for high-risk patients.