Health Experts Urge Flu, Updated COVID-19 Vaccines Ahead of 2024 Flu Season

As the 2024 flu season approaches, health experts recommend getting both the influenza vaccine and an updated COVID-19 shot to protect against illness. The CDC advises receiving the flu vaccine in September or October before peak flu season hits between December and February. 

In 2024, the flu shot will protect against three different viruses, including two types of influenza A and one type of influenza B. Most people will only need one dose for flu protection. However, the CDC urges that unvaccinated children be the first to receive the shot. Experts also recommend that unvaccinated children eight or younger receive two shots, spaced at least four weeks apart, for complete protection.

For those 65 and older, high-dose flu vaccines like Fluzone, Flubok, or Fluad are suggested for stronger protection versus the standard flu vaccine. Health officials also encourage everyone six months and older to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine, which targets the KP.2 variant that has spread since April 2024. Both vaccines can be administered simultaneously.

Health experts typically look to Australia for a preview of how flu season will turn out in the U.S. since theirs lasts from June to September. According to the report, there weren’t any outsized numbers of hospitalizations or deaths due to the flu, offering a glimmer of hope for the upcoming flu season in the States compared to what it has been in recent years.

In 2023, the flu killed roughly 25,000 people in the U.S. and hospitalized 400,000.

Flu shots are widely available at clinics, pharmacies, and workplaces, often at no cost for insured individuals. However, uninsured adults may find limited free or low-cost options through health centers, while children can receive vaccines for free through the government’s Vaccines for Children Program.