Your flu shot can’t wait

This story appeared in Today, Explained, a daily newsletter that helps you understand the most compelling news and stories of the day. Subscribe here.

Flu season is starting earlier than usual this year, which I know from looking at federal data. But I Also I know because I woke up with body aches and chills last night, just a few days before I was scheduled to get my flu shot (!).

Some areas of the country are already experiencing levels of flu activity typically associated with late fall or early winter. In Washington state, for example, doctors report that they are seeing as many flus now as they usually would around Christmas.

Flu activity overall is still low, to be clear. But as of October 7, infections were increasing in all 50 states. And the flu spreads before many people – like me, for example – get their annual vaccine.

Epidemiologists don’t yet know why the flu arrived earlier this year, or why cases began rising in Western states like Washington, California and Nevada. It’s possible that a mutation could help this year’s flu variants evade existing immunity, a virologist told NPR. International travel could also play a role: Flu cases also increased early in Japan and other parts of Asia.

We don’t need to know Why the flu came early, but we had to take some basic precautions. Today we share some practical tips for dealing with an early flu season.

An early flu season doesn’t necessarily mean a worse season, but even a moderate season can cause serious harm. Last year, the flu sent hundreds of thousands of people to the hospital and caused tens of thousands of deaths, including nearly 200 children.

The first and best way to avoid this kind of harm is to get a flu vaccine, which reduces the risk of serious illness by 40 to 60 percent on average. In the United States, people aged 6 months and older are generally asked to get vaccinated by the end of October.

However, given its early onset (it takes two weeks to develop full immunity), you may instead want to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

You can also take some daily precautions, many of which are familiar from the Covid-19 era. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water, for a little longer than necessary. Mask up when you are sick or might encounter someone else who is.

And don’t neglect good habits that support your overall health: getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, and eating a balanced diet. (There’s very little evidence for trendier interventions, like the supplements, saunas, cold baths, or herbal-infused baths that my wacky old yoga teacher recommended.)

If you have flu symptoms, contact your doctor as soon as possible, especially if you are older, pregnant, immunocompromised, or at higher risk of complications. Prescription antiviral medications, like Tamiflu, stop the flu virus from spreading inside your body so your immune system can eliminate it. But they work best within 48 hours of symptoms appearing.

To be clear, you don’t need to take my word for it; I am just another voice in the cacophony of public health! Furthermore, a recent poll suggests that my particular voice – that of someone who works in the media – is no longer as compelling as it once was. (Same as medical websites and government health agencies.)

But if you have doubts or questions about vaccines, you can consult someone much closer to home: ask your doctor (or nurse or pharmacist) about the risks and benefits of the flu vaccine. They are best suited to breaking down the science and applying it to your health. In hindsight, mine would surely have told me to stop delaying my shot for a more convenient weekend.

➨ Be creative in the fight against inflation. The latest inflation figures are out today and they are pretty bad. The cost of many goods and services is rising faster than consumer incomes and economists’ expectations. For me, this news reminded me of a question that Vox’s former personal finance columnist tackled a few years ago: namely, am I cursed to keep spending more and more money on more things?! Her answer was essentially “yes,” but she suggested a few ways to help offset these costs: such as moving to a less expensive area or pooling resources through initiatives like tool libraries and community gardens.