Rising flu cases spark a flurry of vaccine questions

The early start to flu season has kicked off questions about vaccine effectiveness, timing, and purpose.

What's happening

Flu cases are rising early this year throughout the U.S., prompting discussion about hospitalizations, deaths, and calls to get vaccinated. Some commenters emphasized the importance of vaccination, while others questioned the need for flu vaccines or made false safety claims about the newly available mRNA flu vaccine for older adults. Many also asked how flu spreads, why vaccinated people can still get sick, when to get vaccinated, and how long to wait after having the flu before getting a flu vaccine. Others asked whether this season’s vaccine is effective against the strains currently circulating.

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Questions people are asking

• How does the flu spread?
• Why can vaccinated people still get the flu?
• When is the best time to get a flu vaccine?
• If I have the flu, how long should I wait before getting my flu vaccine?
• Do this year’s flu vaccines protect against the strains currently circulating?

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What you can do

Internal readiness: Prepare spokespeople for recurring seasonal questions and emerging concerns. Ensure teams can clarify how flu vaccines are developed and updated each year, outline the vaccines available now, and describe the benefits of vaccination for individuals and communities.

Public-facing messaging: Be clear about the flu’s risks and the value of vaccination for everyone. Explain why even healthy people who don’t see themselves as high risk need seasonal vaccination. Use examples to show how flu can disrupt daily life, including missing school, work, or important events, such as Thanksgiving and time with loved ones. Address questions about effectiveness by explaining how vaccination offers protection even if it isn’t an exact match to circulating strains.

FAQs and websites: Confirm digital materials align with current questions. Audit your pages to ensure people can easily find information about how the flu spreads, vaccine timing after an infection, and how well this year’s vaccine is expected to work.

Community partners and trusted messengers: Call on partners to explain that it isn’t too late to get the flu vaccine. Since public health messaging often focuses on vaccination by the end of October, these messengers can help people understand that despite the early start, the flu season will continue for several months.

Learn more about the Infodemiology Initiative’s monitoring methods.