Not only have we entered fall, but we have officially entered flu season. But, is it too late to get your vaccine?
“Currently the flu cases are low, but we expect them to rise in the late fall and winter. And the thing about the flu vaccine is it actually takes about two weeks to be fully effective.” Said Emily Smale, MPH, Communications Specialist with the Barry-Eaton District Health Department, “So we recommend getting it as soon as possible so you have that protection as soon as possible.”
Smale also emphasized we can see flu activity ramp up quickly. Therefore, vaccination and preventative measures like washing your hands and staying home when you are sick are especially important.
High risk groups encouraged to get the flu shot include young children, adults over 55 years-old, pregnant women, and those with chronic conditions.
So where do you get the vaccine?
- Talk to your health provider
- vaccinefinder.org
It’s too early to predict the severity of flu season as it typically runs fall and winter months when people are spending more time indoors. It spreads more easily in the cool and dry air, Smales added.
“The flu changes from year-to-year, there are different strains that become more dominant and so the flu vaccine changes from year-to-year to try and match the strains that we are seeing in the community. “Smales said. “So, it’s really important to get the flu shot every year so you have the best coverage you can have.”
As Smales mentioned, the earlier the better for the vaccine but getting it later in the season can still prevent serious illness and hospitalization.
Flu Tracking
There is a tracking system that records everything from severity to deaths.
According to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), last season Michigan saw:
(From October 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025)
- 192 flu outbreaks
- 1,926 hospitalizations
- 14 pediatric deaths
Note: MDHHS points out hospital data only includes residents from select counties (Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, Genesee, Washtenaw, and Livingston). These represent a fraction of overall cases statewide, as part of the CDC's RESP-Net monitoring program.
Information for the 2025-26 flu season is just starting to get monitored. A great resource is the Respiratory Disease Dashboard.