what you need to know

The flu season usually wears off October to MayThe unofficial launch is only a few weeks away. Now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued new ones guidelines for this flu season – and there’s a surprising shift in the mix.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new flu guidelines and how to prepare for this difficult time of the year.

What’s new about the guidelines?

This year’s guidelines are “pretty standard, with one big exception,” says Dr. Thomas Russo, head of the infectious diseases department at the University at Buffalo in New York, told Yahoo Life. That’s the CDC’s position on which flu vaccines people with egg allergies can use.

The CDC says people with egg allergies can now get any vaccine — egg-based or non-egg-based — that is “otherwise appropriate for their age and medical condition.” Previous recommendations have been that people with severe egg allergies should avoid egg-based vaccines.

“Data now shows that people who have an egg allergy really don’t have a major contraindication to egg-based flu vaccines,” says Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, a senior researcher at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Yahoo Life.

While this is new in the US, it is not in other parts of the world. “The US has now caught up with Canadians and Europeans, who have been looking at data on rare but serious allergic reactions to the flu vaccine for some time and have concluded that eggs are almost unrelated.” says Dr William Schaffner, infectious disease specialist and professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Schaffner says there will be “some people who will still have concerns” about getting an egg-based vaccine, noting that egg-free vaccines will continue to exist.

What’s in this year’s flu shot?

Flu vaccines for this season are targeted at the following strains, according to the CDC:

egg-based vaccines

• A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus

• A/Darwin/9/2021 (H3N2)-like virus

• B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus

• B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus

Cell or recombinant vaccines

• A/Wisconsin/67/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus

• A/Darwin/6/2021 (H3N2)-like virus

• B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus

• B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus.

Notable: There is only one update to this year’s flu vaccine from last year’s vaccine.

As for the effectiveness of this year’s vaccine, we’ll have to wait and see, according to Russo. “Sometimes we hit, sometimes we miss,” he says. “It happens every year.”

When will flu vaccines be available?

They will be available soon. Many major pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens, are allowing people to schedule vaccination appointments as early as September 1st. Some pharmacies may even be offering them now, along with doctor’s offices — it really depends on when supplies arrive at a particular location, Russo says.

When should I get my flu shot?

If possible, it is best to wait a while longer. “Ideally, you’d want to get your flu shot in late September, October, or the first week of November — that’s the ideal time,” says Schaffner. Scheduling your flu shots this way can help ensure you’re adequately protected during the peak of flu season, he explains.

“If you get it too early, the protection wears off at the end of the flu season,” he adds.

However, there is one exception: Children under the age of 8 who have never had a flu shot need two doses a month apart, emphasizes Schaffner. If your child meets these criteria, it is a good idea to contact your pediatrician now to schedule an appointment.

When is the flu season at its worst?

Flu season usually peaks between December and February CDCTherefore, the timing of your vaccination is important. “It makes no sense to get vaccinated so early,” says Adalja.

How can I prepare for flu season?

Vaccination is an important start, says Russo. “Vaccination is the pillar of protection,” he says.

But he also suggests that you have quality masks on hand in case flu activity increases in your area and be aware of the risk-benefit balance if flu cases increase. “If you’re at high risk, you should avoid indoor areas with a lot of people and poor ventilation,” says Russo.

Schaffner says flu activity is likely to increase in October this year, in contrast to last year when it started early. “There will be flu. Will it be easy, medium or difficult this year? We just don’t know,” he says. “But there will be flu, and we should protect ourselves.”