Flu Season Has Arrived Seven Weeks Early. Here's What to Know About This Year's Shots

Flu season has started about seven weeks earlier than it did in either 2025 or 2024. That timing matters, because it means the virus is already circulating widely enough to affect people now, not only once the usual winter peak arrives.

Flu vaccines are updated every year to target the strains expected to spread, so last season's shot does not carry over. The annual vaccine is generally recommended for most people aged six months and older. Protection takes roughly two weeks to build after a shot, so getting vaccinated before case counts climb gives the best coverage.

Anyone unsure about timing or eligibility, especially pregnant people, adults over 65, young children, and people with chronic health conditions, should check with a doctor or pharmacist. Everyday habits still help too: washing hands often, staying home when sick, and covering coughs and sneezes.