The best time to get a flu shot is pretty much as soon as you can: once your local medical providers offers the latest vaccine you should probably get it ASAP. Whether it is before, or during, peak flu season you should make sure your vaccine is up-to-date.
Additionally, if you want to get your flu shot ASAP then make sure you go to AFC Urgent Care Burlington for accessible flu shots and vaccinations.
When to get a flu shot
That being said, the ideal time is about one month before the peak of flu season. Since flu season typically peaks in mid-to-late winter (i.e., January or February), the best time would be November or December. The flu vaccine can take between two/three weeks to provide your body with effective immunity.
However, many doctor’s offices begin offering the flu shot as early as August, during back-to-school physicals. Flu shots this early are more for patient convienence than anything else. Since children are among the most likely to be affected by the flu, it makes sense to encourage vaccines hardest for that demographic.
Most schools require vaccines or a check-up before the school year starts anyway, so rolling the flu shot into that appointment helps guarantee it will happen. After all, an early flu shot or a late one is better than no flu shot at all.
Where to get a flu shot
However, adults don’t have the same “back-to-school” routine that children do, so it can be more challenging to squeeze a flu shot in. Flu shots are easily accessible once you’re off work, school, or elsewhere via walk-in clinics and urgent care centers!
One of these places is a pharmacy. Take a few extra minutes while picking up prescriptions or while grocery shopping (if your pharmacy is in your supermarket) and go ahead and get the flu vaccine. The downside is that the pharmacy is often busy filling prescriptions and so you may have a longer wait time for a vaccine.
Another location is an urgent care center. Urgent care is typically thought of as a place you go when you have an unexpected illness or injury. However, urgent care centers can also help out with quick medical needs like vaccines for you or your children.
Some of the benefits of urgent care centers include walk-in capability with the low wait time, cost-effective care, and fast treatment.
If you or your family need flu shots or have additional questions, contact an urgent care center to get started on the path to protection.
