According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), during seasons when the flu vaccine viruses are similar to circulating flu viruses, the flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40 to 60 percent. If you are exposed to a strain in the vaccine you receive, the infection will be less severe or even negligible.

People ages 6 months and older should get the flu vaccine as directed by their health care providers. Talk with your doctor if you have any concerns about the vaccine.

According to the CDC, the flu vaccine is especially important for people at higher risk of having serious complications from the virus, including:

• People with chronic health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and lung disease
• Pregnant people
• People age 65 and older
• Children
• People who live in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities

The flu vaccine causes antibodies to develop in the body. These antibodies provide protection against the influenza virus infection.

It generally takes two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in your body. In the meantime, you are still at risk for getting the flu, which is why we recommend vaccination as early as possible.

Flu viruses change from year to year, which means you can get the flu more than once in your lifetime. A vaccine that provides protection from one strain of the virus may not protect you against a new strain of the virus the following year.

In addition to the standard flu shot, we offer the nasal spray vaccine as an option for healthy, non-pregnant, non-immunocompromised patients between ages 2 and 49. There is also a vaccine specially designed for adults 65 and older. You may request these at your flu vaccination appointment if available.

You should not get the flu vaccine if you are experiencing a moderate to severe illness with a fever. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions.

It's sometimes tricky to tell whether you have a cold or flu. One clue: The flu comes on hard and fast. And most often, colds don't include fever.

Common flu symptoms:

• Body aches
• Chills
• Cough
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Fever (greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Nasal congestion
• Runny nose
• Sore throat

If you have the flu, your best remedy is to drink plenty of fluids, rest at home and avoid contact with others for at least 24 hours after you are fever-free. But if your symptoms worsen, call your doctor right away.

If you or a loved one is experiencing flu-like symptoms and falls into any of the following categories, call your doctor immediately.

• Children ages six months to four years
• Pregnant women
• Blood or metabolic disorders (including diabetes)
• Heart, liver, kidney or lung conditions
• Suppressed immune systems

While there is no clinical evidence so far to suggest that having the flu increases your susceptibility of getting COVID-19, it's possible to have both at the same time. The risk of having more severe symptoms and complications would then be higher or last for longer.

Learn more about COVID-19.

To receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster, it must be at least two months since your primary vaccination was completed or two months since you received a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. If you have not yet received your annual flu vaccine, both the flu shot and the COVID-19 vaccine booster can be administered at the same time, though experts recommend receiving the shots in different arms.

However, adults due for a mammogram should plan to leave 4 to 6 weeks between COVID and flu vaccination and the screening. Vaccines can cause enlarged lymph nodes, which is also a symptom of breast cancer, and could lead to an incorrect mammogram reading.