Flu (Influenza)

Sections

Care & Treatment

Prevention

Different flu viruses infect the nose, throat, and lungs. These viruses spread in communities during flu season.

Getting a flu shot every year protects you

  • You are less likely to get the flu
  • You are less likely to become very sick if you do get the flu

Everyone should get a flu shot each year, especially:

  • People aged 65 and older
  • Nursing home or long-term care residents
  • People with serious health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, lung disease, or HIV

Fall is the best time to get a flu shot because flu is most common in the fall and winter. If you did not get your shot in the fall, you can—and should—get one later in the season.

Which flu shot should I get?

The updated 2026-2027 Fluzone High-Dose Trivalent, Fluad Trivalent or Flublok Trivalent flu vaccines are recommended over other influenza vaccines for persons 65 years or older. 

  • In August 2026, the FDA approved a new mRNA influenza vaccine (mFLUSIVA®) in persons 50 years and older because it provided better protection against influenza compared to standard dose influenza vaccine. The FDA grant accelerated approval to person 65 years and above with a post-marketing requirement to complete a clinical trial against high-dose influenza vaccine to confirm clinical benefit. 

If none of these three vaccines is available at an opportunity for vaccine administration, then any other age-appropriate influenza vaccine should be used, below.

  • Fluarix Trivalent
  • FluLaval Trivalent
  • Fluzone Trivalent
  • Afluria Trivalent
  • Flucelvax Trivalent

You should not get a flu shot if you have had a serious allergic reaction to a flu vaccine in the past or if you were diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome within 6 weeks after a previous flu shot.

Medicare covers the cost of flu shots. Medicaid and most private health insurance plans also cover the cost.

Prescription Treatment

Antiviral medications may be used to treat the flu. These medicines work best when started within the first 24 to 48 hours after symptoms begin.

Antiviral medications can make symptoms milder and may shorten how long you are sick. They can also help prevent some serious flu-related complications.

Protect Others

If you have the flu, stay home and avoid contact with other people, except when you need medical care. Stay away from others as much as possible to avoid spreading the flu to them.

 

Last Reviewed and Updated: September 2026
By: AGS/HiAF Public Education Committee, HealthinAging.org Content Reviewers

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