Published on Sep 12, 2025 | 10:31 AM
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Every fall, you start seeing signs at pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and even grocery stores: “Get your flu shot today!”
But what exactly does the flu shot do? And why is it recommended year after year? Let’s break it down.
The flu shot is a vaccine that protects against influenza, a contagious respiratory illness that can cause fever, body aches, cough, and fatigue. Each year, scientists study circulating flu strains and update the vaccine to match the ones most likely to spread in the upcoming season. That’s why it’s important to get vaccinated annually—the flu virus changes from year to year.
The flu shot is recommended for almost everyone 6 months and older.
It’s especially important for:
These groups have higher risk of severe illness, hospitalization, or complications.
No vaccine is 100% effective, but the flu shot significantly lowers your chances of getting sick. And even if you do catch the flu, the shot can make your illness milder and shorter. It also helps protect the people around you—especially newborns, older adults, and those with weak immune systems.
Most people tolerate the flu shot well. Side effects are usually mild and include:
These are signs your immune system is responding.
At CallOnDoc, we make healthcare easy and accessible. While flu vaccines are typically given in person, we can help you:
Healthcare shouldn’t be complicated. With CallOnDoc, you get fast, affordable, and judgment-free support whenever you need it.
Cold and flu don’t wait for doctor’s hours.
The flu may seem routine, but it’s far from harmless. Each year, it sends hundreds of thousands of Americans to the hospital.
The flu shot is one of the simplest, safest steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Shelly House, FNP, is a Family Nurse Practitioner and Call-On-Doc’s trusted medical education voice. With extensive experience in telehealth and patient-centered care, Ms. House is dedicated to making complex health topics simple and accessible. Through evidence-based content, provider collaboration, and a passion for empowering patients, her mission is to break down barriers to healthcare by delivering clear, compassionate, and practical medical guidance.
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Flu and cold preparations are important for families to minimize the impact of seasonal illnesses by reducing symptoms and preventing the spread of infections within the household. Being prepared with appropriate medications and hygiene practices helps ensure a quicker recovery for affected family members and lowers the risk of the illness spreading to others.
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Every year, millions of Americans get sick, go to the doctor, and suffer hospitalizations all because of influenza. The virus, most commonly referred to as the flu, comes in multiple variations and has been the source of many global epidemics. One exceedingly deadly pandemic caused by influenza came in the form of the Spanish flu. Ravaging the public in 1918 and 1919, the virus would go on to take the lives of 21 million Americans. Put into perspective, that’s more than WW1, WW2, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War combined. (1) Thanks to advancements in modern medicine, flu CDC statistics show significantly reduced deaths in spite of how influenza spreads.
In recent years of high influenza spread, the flu CDC statistics for flu deaths by year resulted in:
|
Year |
2016-2017 |
2017-2018 |
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cases |
29 million |
41 million |
29 million |
36 million |
|
Deaths |
38,000 |
52,000 |
28,000 |
25,000 |
In the case of 2020 to 2021, the CDC admits that flu cases were so low that they would not be recorded. (2) While the numbers vary wildly year by year, the evidence shows that influenza mortality rates have improved in the United States despite how aggressively the flu spreads. Initiatives that may have helped reduce the rates include educating people about the flu virus, best practices, and prevention methods.
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Flu and cold preparations are important for families to minimize the impact of seasonal illnesses by reducing symptoms and preventing the spread of infections within the household. Being prepared with appropriate medications and hygiene practices helps ensure a quicker recovery for affected family members and lowers the risk of the illness spreading to others.
Sep 09, 2023 | 9:35 AM
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Every year, millions of Americans get sick, go to the doctor, and suffer hospitalizations all because of influenza. The virus, most commonly referred to as the flu, comes in multiple variations and has been the source of many global epidemics. One exceedingly deadly pandemic caused by influenza came in the form of the Spanish flu. Ravaging the public in 1918 and 1919, the virus would go on to take the lives of 21 million Americans. Put into perspective, that’s more than WW1, WW2, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War combined. (1) Thanks to advancements in modern medicine, flu CDC statistics show significantly reduced deaths in spite of how influenza spreads.
In recent years of high influenza spread, the flu CDC statistics for flu deaths by year resulted in:
|
Year |
2016-2017 |
2017-2018 |
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cases |
29 million |
41 million |
29 million |
36 million |
|
Deaths |
38,000 |
52,000 |
28,000 |
25,000 |
In the case of 2020 to 2021, the CDC admits that flu cases were so low that they would not be recorded. (2) While the numbers vary wildly year by year, the evidence shows that influenza mortality rates have improved in the United States despite how aggressively the flu spreads. Initiatives that may have helped reduce the rates include educating people about the flu virus, best practices, and prevention methods.
Sep 26, 2023 | 4:05 PM
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When it comes to respiratory illnesses like the common cold, flu, COVID-19, and RSV, it’s easy to confuse their symptoms since they often overlap. Each illness shares similar signs, such as a runny nose, cough, and fatigue, making it challenging to distinguish between them without testing.
However, these illnesses are caused by different viruses and vary in severity, with certain symptoms being more prevalent in one illness over another. Understanding the differences in symptoms, causes, and peak seasons for each can help you manage these infections more effectively.
Nov 27, 2023 | 1:23 PM
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