FLU & Pneumonia Vaccines

What exactly is the flu?

The flu, or influenza, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can affect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs.

Common symptoms include:

• Fever or chills.
• Cough.
• Sore throat.
• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Muscle or body aches.
• Headache and fatigue.
• Some people, especially children, may also experience vomiting or diarrhea.

It is also important to remember that not everyone with the flu has a fever, and some people may have no symptoms at all.

If I do not have symptoms, can I still spread the flu?

• Yes. Some people infected with influenza may have no symptoms but can still contribute to the spread of the virus.
• That is one reason influenza can spread so easily in families, schools, workplaces, and communities.

Why do I need the vaccine? Getting the flu isn't a big deal, is it?

• At best, the flu is no fun. Even a mild case can cause you to feel bad and miss work or school for a week or more.
• At worst, flu can become a very serious illness. It is especially risky for some people, including older adults, young children, and people with chronic health conditions like asthma or diabetes.
• Being pregnant also increases the risk of severe illness. However, even otherwise healthy children and adults can get very sick or even die. It is much safer to get the vaccine than to get the flu.

Why do I need a flu vaccine every year? Isn't one vaccination enough?

A flu vaccine is needed every year for two reasons:

• First, a person's immune protection from vaccination declines over time, so an annual flu vaccine is needed for optimal protection.
• Second, because influenza viruses are constantly changing, the composition of flu vaccines is reviewed annually, and vaccines are updated to protect against the viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming flu season.

With very few exceptions, everyone over the age of 6 months needs to get the flu vaccine each fall. This gives the best protection. If you're pregnant, getting the flu shot also helps to protect your baby until they're old enough to get the vaccine.

When should I get my flu vaccine?

• You should get a flu shot in early fall before flu begins spreading in your community.
• It takes about two weeks for your immune system to develop antibodies. Get vaccinated before the end of October if possible.
• Being vaccinated later in the flu season is still beneficial, even into January or later.

If I am healthy, do I really need the flu vaccine?

• Yes. Influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone six months of age and older, with some exceptions.
• While it is especially important for people who have a chronic illness to get the flu shot, anyone even healthy folks can benefit from being vaccinated.

What if I get the flu even after being vaccinated? Does that mean the vaccine did not work?

Not necessarily. The flu vaccine prevents many people from getting the flu, but it is not perfect. It takes about 2 weeks for the shot to be effective, so it is possible to catch the flu before you are fully protected.

There are several reasons why someone may still get the flu after vaccination:

• You were exposed to the flu virus before being vaccinated or during the two-week period after vaccination. It takes about two weeks for the body to develop protective antibodies after vaccination. Therefore, you can become infected and develop the flu before the vaccine has had enough time to provide protection.
• You may be exposed to an influenza virus that is not included in the seasonal vaccine. Many different influenza viruses circulate each year. Seasonal flu vaccines are designed to protect against the influenza viruses that research suggests will be the most common during that season. Therefore, infection with a virus that is not included in the vaccine is still possible.
• Your body may not develop a strong immune response to the vaccine. The protection provided by flu vaccination can vary depending partly on a person's age and health. Some older adults and people with certain chronic health conditions may develop less immunity after vaccination. In general, flu vaccines work best among healthy younger adults and older children.

Even when vaccinated people do get the flu, vaccination can still protect them from severe disease. Studies have shown that flu vaccination can reduce the severity of illness, including the risk of hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death.

Can the flu vaccine give me the flu?

• You cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine. Flu vaccines are made either with flu viruses that have been ‘inactivated’ and are not infections or without flu viruses at all (recombinant influenza vaccine).
• However, any vaccine can make you feel a little ill. For example, you might feel achy or have a slight fever and headache for a few days. This is a sign that your immune system is learning how to fight off the actual flu virus.

Can I get the flu just because I went outside in cold weather, had wet hair, or sat near a drafty window?

• No. The only way to catch the flu is by being exposed to the influenza virus. Flu season coincides with the cold weather. Therefore, people often associate the flu with a cold, drafty environment. However, they are not related.

If I have a high fever from the flu, do I need antibiotics?

• Not necessarily. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, not viral infections such as influenza.
• However, influenza can sometimes lead to a secondary bacterial infection, including bacterial pneumonia. If symptoms become worse, persist unexpectedly, or you develop new concerning symptoms, you should be medically evaluated.

Is it real that there is a new Flu vaccine in 2026?

Yes, On August 5, 2026, the FDA approved mFLUSIVA, the first mRNA influenza vaccine for people ages 50 to 64. Manufactured by Moderna, mFLUSIVA uses the same technology that produced the COVID-19 vaccines.

There are several potential advantages to the mRNA platform.

- Unlike traditional flu vaccines, it uses mRNA technology to teach the body to recognize and fight the flu virus.

• “Think of it as showing your immune system a picture of the flu virus before the real virus arrives. This gives your immune system a chance to learn what the virus looks like and prepare its defenses. The vaccine does not contain the actual flu virus, so it cannot give you the flu.”

- mFLUSIVA does not use eggs as part of its manufacturing process. This is one of the differences between mFLUSIVA and traditional egg-based influenza vaccine manufacturing.

- mFLUSIVA demonstrated higher relative efficacy than the standard-dose influenza vaccine.

Traditional influenza vaccines remain important and continue to provide protection against influenza.

It is a hassle and I do not like shots, so I may skip the flu vaccine. Isn't this just a personal choice?

• Nobody loves getting shots. Moreover, in fact, some people can get the flu vaccine as a nasal spray instead of a shot. If you are interested, ask your doctor or pharmacist about the nasal flu vaccine.
• Whether to get the vaccine or not is a choice that only you can make. However, remember, you are part of a family or community, which may include people for whom the flu could be serious or deadly. This might be a new grandchild, a beloved aunt, or a good friend who has a chronic disease. If you get the flu, you could spread it to others. By choosing to get the vaccine, you are helping to protect those you care about as well as yourself.

PNEUMONIA

What is pneumococcal pneumonia?

• Pneumococcal pneumonia is a lung infection caused by a bacterium called Streptococcus pneumoniae.
• It is an important cause of community-acquired pneumonia.
• The infection can spread through respiratory secretions, such as saliva and mucus, particularly through coughing, sneezing, and close contact.
• The danger of any kind of pneumonia is that it causes the air sacs in one or both lungs to fill with fluid or pus. This can lead to breathing problems and, in severe cases, respiratory failure.

Can pneumococcal pneumonia occur together with the flu?

• Yes. A person might develop a pneumococcal infection alongside a respiratory disease such as COVID-19 or the flu. This can happen because the immune system is already weakened by the respiratory illness, making the person more vulnerable to a bacterial infection in addition to the existing illness.

Why is pneumonia dangerous?

• Typically, an infection first occurs in the nose. Some people are able to clear the infection without complications. However, if the infection is not cleared, it can spread deeper into the respiratory tract, causing symptoms such as cough, fever, chest pain, chills, and difficult or rapid breathing.
• A pneumococcal infection can also cause diseases other than pneumonia, including ear or sinus infections and more invasive conditions such as meningitis, which is an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, or bacteremia, which is a bloodstream infection.
• Meningitis and bacteremia are particularly serious because they can be fatal, especially in very young children, older adults, or people with certain underlying conditions.

Are pneumococcal vaccines effective and safe?

• Yes. Pneumococcal vaccines are considered safe.
• Pneumococcal vaccination is estimated to be at least 50% effective in reducing invasive pneumococcal disease. Its effectiveness may be higher depending on the age and health of the person receiving the vaccine.
• The most common side effects include drowsiness, fever, headache, loss of appetite, and soreness or swelling in the arm where the vaccine was given. These side effects are generally mild and usually last no more than a day or two.

Who should receive pneumococcal vaccination?

Specifically, pneumococcal vaccines are recommended for the following groups:

• All children younger than 5 years.
• All adults ages 50 and older.
• Pregnant women because pregnancy can increase vulnerability to respiratory problems.
• People with illnesses such as autoimmune diseases, cancer, and chronic heart, lung, or kidney disease.
• People who live in nursing homes or other communal living environments, including military settings.

Does the pneumococcal vaccine prevent every type of pneumonia?

• No. Pneumococcal vaccines protect against disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, but other bacteria, viruses, and fungi can cause pneumonia. Therefore, vaccination is only one part of pneumonia prevention.
• The same steps that help prevent other infectious diseases can also help protect against pneumonia. These include: washing your hands regularly, maintaining a healthy diet, getting adequate rest, exercising regularly and quit smoking.
• It is important to get the recommended vaccines for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV. These vaccines help prevent complications from those infections, including pneumonia.

What should I do if I develop symptoms that could be pneumonia?

• If pneumococcal pneumonia develops, it can be treated with antibiotics. However, prevention is always better than treatment because S. pneumoniae can sometimes progress to invasive disease very quickly.
• Severe complications can occur when someone becomes sick and remains at home for several days before seeking medical care. Early evaluation and appropriate treatment can help prevent complications, and vaccination can reduce the risk of pneumococcal disease in the first place.
• You should seek medical evaluation if you develop concerning respiratory symptoms, particularly difficulty breathing, persistent or worsening cough, chest symptoms, or significant weakness.

References:

• National Library of Medicine. Understanding the barriers and attitudes toward influenza vaccine uptake in the adult general population: a rapid review. PMC. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9861815/ 
  
  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seasonal flu vaccine basics. CDC. Updated September 1, 2026. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines/index.html
• World Health Organization. 5 myths about the flu vaccine. WHO. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/influenza-are-we-ready/5-myths-about-the-flu-vaccine 
• Harvard Health Publishing. 10 flu myths. Harvard Health. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/10-flu-myths 
• National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Myths and facts about influenza (flu). NFID. Available from: https://www.nfid.org/resource/myths-and-facts-about-influenza-flu/ 
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pneumococcal vaccination. CDC. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/vaccines/index.html 
• Yale Medicine. Should I get the pneumococcal vaccine? 5 things to know. Yale Medicine. Available from: https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/should-i-get-the-pneumococcal-vaccine-5-things-to-know 
• Harvard Health Publishing. Vaccinations: myth vs. reality. Harvard Health. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/vaccines-and-immunizations/vaccinations-myth-vs-reality 
• Tathaagat Clinic. Myths and facts about the pneumococcal vaccine. Tathaagat Clinic. Available from: https://tathaagatclinic.com/myths-and-facts-about-the-pneumococcal-vaccine/