Click “Get Your” to access the page. Flu Vaccine HereYou might be led to believe that “signs and banners will appear in November outside pharmacies or in doctor’s offices.” “Isn’t it too late for that?”

The short answer is “No!”

“Flu season typically peaks in January or February and can last as late as May,”Anne Schuchat is Assistant Surgeon General for the U.S. Public Health Service and Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “We are encouraging people who have not yet been vaccinated to get vaccinated now.”

Millions of people suffer from flu each year. It can cause a sore throat, fever, headache, stuffy nose, muscle aches and fatigue. It may surprise you to learn that flu complications can cause more than 200,000 hospitalizations each year in the United States. Flu complications can also prove fatal. The CDC estimates that flu-related deaths in the United States have increased from 3,000 to 49,000 annually between 1976 and 2007.

Everyone six months or older should get an annual flu shot. There are two options for it: nasal spray and shots. You have three options for flu shots: the traditional flu shot, the new intradermal shot, and a high dose flu shot. Although the flu shot can be given to almost everyone, the intradermal vaccine is recommended for adults between 18 and 64 years. The high dose flu shot is intended for those 65 years old and over. The nasal spray vaccine has been approved for healthy individuals between 2 and 49 years of age who aren’t pregnant.

Everyone can get the flu. However, certain people are more likely to develop serious flu-related complications such as pneumonia. This can cause hospitalizations and even death. The flu vaccine is essential for people at high risk for complications. People at greater risk include:

* Children younger than 5 years old, but especially children younger than 2 years old

* Pregnant women

* People with certain medical conditions like asthma, diabetes (type 1 and 2) or heart and lung disease

* People 65 years and older

You must also get the vaccine if your baby is younger than 6 months or if you are a caregiver for someone in these high-risk groups.

Two doses of flu vaccine are required for children aged 6-8 years. Make sure your child is vaccinated if they haven’t received their first dose. Parents should consult their child’s doctor if they need to give a second dose.

“Getting the flu vaccine is simple, and it’s the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your family from the flu,”Schuchat.

Flu vaccines can be obtained in many places, including doctors’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies, colleges, and health departments. These vaccines are available at some schools and offered by many employers. Look out for signs that say, “Get Your Flu Vaccine Here,”Stop in. You can also make an appointment with your doctor. Visit www.flu.govUse the Flu Vaccine Finder for the closest location.

Visit www.fluvaccine.org for more information. www.cdc.gov/flu. www.flu.govOr call the CDC at 1-800-CDCINFO