These are the vaccines health experts recommend for NC seniors to fight the flu
Vaccines are once again top of mind for many in Charlotte and beyond, with a new COVID-19 booster and this year’s flu vaccine both now available.
Now is the time to get vaccinated against the flu, health experts say, and people 65 and older should pay special attention to which flu shot they get in order to get the right vaccine for them.
Here’s what to know about how flu vaccines change and which vaccines are endorsed for seniors for the 2022-23 flu season:
Why do flu vaccines change?
The flu vaccine changes year to year in order to provide the best protection possible against different flu viruses that are “constantly changing,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains.
For the 2022-23 flu season, the public health agency says, two updates to the vaccine were recommended.
Best vaccines for seniors during flu season
The CDC recommends seniors ages 65 and older get one of three specific flu vaccines this year in order to maximize protection:
The Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine
The Flublok Quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine
Or the Fluad Quadrivalent adjuvanted flu vaccine
The CDC’s recommendation is “based on a review of available studies which suggests that, in this age group, these vaccines are potentially more effective” than other shots.
“There is no preferential recommendation for people younger than 65 years,” the agency stated.
If you’re 65 or older and one of the recommended vaccines isn’t available where you are, the CDC recommends you “get a standard-dose flu vaccine instead.”
This story was originally published October 12, 2022 at 7:00 AM with the headline "These are the vaccines health experts recommend for NC seniors to fight the flu."
