The flu is raging across GA. Is it too late to get a flu shot for the season?

The most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says influenza activity is elevated and continues to increase across the country, with at least 11 million illnesses and 5,000 deaths.

Influenza A(H3N2) is the predominant virus type so far in 2025–26, accounting for the large majority of typed viruses in recent CDC surveillance and the CDC maintains “influenza vaccination protects against influenza and its potential complications.”

The flu season started in October and is hitting people harder than in recent years as Georgia residents exit the holiday season and enter into a colder winter weather.

CDC recommendations

Flu season runs through May, so getting vaccinated now can still offer months of protection.

Vaccination guidance

• Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season, unless they have a specific contraindication.
• Use single-dose, thimerosal‑free flu vaccines for children, pregnant people and adults whenever possible.
• Vaccination should continue as long as flu viruses are circulating.
• People at higher risk of serious flu complications should make vaccination a priority.
• Adults 65 and older should preferentially receive a high‑dose, adjuvanted, or recombinant flu vaccine rather than a standard‑dose.​

Prevention methods

• Avoid close contact with sick people
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• ​Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow and throw used tissues in the trash.​
• Wash hands often with soap and water; use an alcohol‑based hand rub if soap and water are not available.
• ​Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work and school, especially when someone is ill.

​If you get flu symptoms and are at higher risk for complications, contact a health care provider promptly; early antiviral treatment can reduce the risk of severe illness.

Data to support influenza vaccinations

• It can reduce your risk of flu-related ICU admission by 26% and flu-related death by 31%.
• Flu vaccines typically reduce the risk of illness by 40-60%.
• It may lead to a shorter, more manageable illness.
• It protects the more vulnerable population like children, the elderly, people with chronic conditions, and pregnant women. 
• It reduces cardiac events in people with heart disease and hospitalizations for people with diabetes (by 79%) and chronic lung disease (by 52%).

You can get a flu shot at many local pharmacy chains like CVS or Walgreens, Valley Healthcare Systems, some grocery stores or markets like Publix, the Columbus Health Department and your primary care physician.

The effectiveness of the flu vaccine can vary from year to year, but experts say it is still the most efficient tool for preventing influenza and potentially severe complications.