Flu Vaccine

Despite flu activity spiking in Florida, pediatric vaccine levels are lagging behind the rest of the country.

It's not uncommon for cases of respiratory illness to rise in the winter months, but health officials are still encouraging vaccination to protect folks during holiday gatherings.

The short answer is yes, but a Florida expert weighs in on how you should receive the vaccines this season ahead of another possible tripledemic.

Anyone who wants to get vaccinated shouldn’t wait. It takes a couple of weeks for a flu vaccine to become fully effective.

The panel unanimously recommended certain flu vaccines for seniors, whose weakened immune systems don’t respond as well to traditional shots.

According to the CDC, just under 42% of Florida’s population ages 6 months and older received a vaccine last flu season — the lowest level in the country.

More social distancing led to fewer cases during the last flu season, but that means people didn’t have an opportunity to build immunity.

The vaccines will be given out between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sept. 29, Oct. 16 and 27, and Nov. 3 and 13.

Experts say precautions put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus have caused a dramatic drop in cases of the flu, both in Florida and across the country.

Low vaccination rates in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic have added a newfound urgency to flu season.

There's evidence that certain vaccines boost the body's defense against many kinds of illness. Scientists are investigating whether this benefit extends to protection from COVID-19.

Scientists are pushing hard to find a more effective way to prevent nearly all seasonal flu strains with one shot. For starters, they're paying volunteers to spend a 10-day stint in "Hotel Influenza."