Seasonal Flu Prevention
Get a flu vaccine this fall and show off your bandage of honor
This season, every flu shot comes with an adhesive bandage of honor. It’s more than just a small strip of fabric. It’s a symbol showing you care about your health and your community.
Getting a flu shot is the most effective way to prevent severe illness and slow down the spread of flu in your community. Learn more about the flu in our Health Library.
How to get your flu shot
Schedule a flu shot appointment
Get the flu shot at one of our UW Medicine Primary Care clinics. Book online with MyChart or call 206.520.2250.
Visit a pharmacy
Go to any pharmacy near you to get the flu shot.
If you already have an appointment scheduled with your provider, be sure to ask about getting the flu shot. If you want to get a COVID-19 vaccine at the same appointment, let your provider know ahead of time so they can prepare.
WATCH: Be ready for the fall virus season
While anytime during flu season is a good time to get the vaccine, between now and mid-October is an ideal time to receive this year’s flu vaccine, says Dr. John Lynch, a UW Medicine infectious disease specialist.
About the 2023-2024 flu season
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone get vaccinated against the flu by the end of October. However, even if you receive your vaccination after October, it will still be helpful towards preventing severe illness. If you have questions about the 2023-2024 flu season, please visit the CDC website or ask your UW Medicine care team.
Information about the flu vaccine
The (CDC) recommends everyone 6 months and older get a seasonal flu vaccine each year, with rare exceptions.
Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at high risk of developing serious flu complications.
Children 6 months to 8 years old may need one or two doses, so check with your pediatrician.
It’s a good idea to get vaccinated by the end of October. In the U.S., the flu season peaks between late November and March, and it takes your body up to two weeks to form the antibodies that protect you.
Children should be vaccinated every flu season for the best protection against flu. Some children 6 months to 8 years old may need one or two doses, so check with your pediatrician.
For those children, they should get their first dose as soon as the vaccine becomes available. This will allow the second dose (which must be given at least four weeks later) to be received by the end of October.
Yes, you can get a COVID-19 vaccine and a flu vaccine at the same time if you are eligible and the timing works. Studies conducted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic indicate that it is safe to get both a COVID-19 vaccine and a flu vaccine at the same visit.
Even though both vaccines can be given at the same visit, people should follow the recommended schedule for either vaccine. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions.
While vaccine effectiveness can vary from year to year, recent studies from the CDC report that the flu vaccine reduces the risk of flu illness by between 40% and 60% among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are well-matched to the flu vaccine.
Because we do not know if this year’s flu vaccine will be effective until toward the end of the flu season, the best thing you can do to protect yourself and the community is to get a flu shot.
No. Flu vaccines cannot cause the flu illness. Learn more about how the flu vaccine works from the CDC.
There are several different kinds of flu vaccines. Talk with your healthcare provider about which vaccination is the best option for you.
Yes. The flu is dangerous for many people, especially those older than age 65, young children and people with existing medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. Pregnant people are also at high risk for flu complications. However, it is important to note that the flu can make anyone sick enough to end up in the hospital, and every flu season leads to flu-related deaths across all age groups.
Even with preventive measures like wearing a facial covering and physical distancing, the spread of the flu is still possible in our community. Getting vaccinated will limit the spread of the flu, which will reduce hospitalizations and deaths.
The single best way to prevent getting the flu is to get vaccinated each year. Good health habits like avoiding people who are sick, covering your cough/sneeze and washing your hands can also help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like flu.
Flu and COVID-19 symptoms
Based on everything we’ve learned so far, it is nearly impossible to tell the difference between influenza and COVID-19 based only on symptoms.
Symptoms for COVID-19 and flu can range from mild to severe. Symptoms shared by COVID-19 and the flu are:
- Fever or feeling feverish/chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle pain or body aches
- Headache
- Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults
Unlike the flu, symptoms of COVID-19 may include loss of taste or smell. Getting tested for the flu and COVID-19 is the best way to confirm a diagnosis.
Yes, it is possible to get the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. We do not know how often this occurs or how the two viruses interact but being infected with both viruses simultaneously would likely be more dangerous than just having one.
If you have symptoms that resemble those of the flu or COVID-19, you should get tested as soon as possible. At UW Medicine you can also:
- Call your doctor for guidance and track your symptoms. You can contact your doctor by phone or MyChart.
- Get care 7 days a week with extended hours at an urgent care clinic.