By Melissa Patrick, Kentucky Health News

Even though the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine was lower in South America this year than last season, a measure used to predict how well it will work in the U.S., experts say it’s still important to get the vaccine because it reduces the risk of severe illness and hospitalization from the flu.

Dr. Monalisa Tailor, a primary care physician with Norton Community Medical Associates in Louisville, explained during an Oct. 4 press conference that the U.S. looks to the Southern Hemisphere countries as an indicator of how this year’s flu season and vaccine might fare, since its winter happens during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer.

According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu shot appeared to be 34.5 percent effective at preventing hospitalizations this year in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. That’s down from about 52% effective during the 2023 flu season in the same countries.

Tailor said news like that is sure to make people wonder why they should even get a flu vaccine this year, but it’s important to remember that a flu vaccine that is 35% effective means that it reduces the risk of severe illness and hospitalization by 35%  — and that makes it worth getting.

“When it comes to my patients . . . they might be older with multiple other medical conditions, like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, autoimmune conditions or even cancer, and if I could keep them out of the hospital because of flu, that would be a win, especially for my older folks,” she said.

Further, she said, that while the flu vaccine’s effectiveness is less than last year, it’s still on par with the previous six years.

To find a place to get your flu shot, the CDC offers an interactive “flu vaccine finder” that allows you to type in your ZIP code to find nearby locations. Local health departments also offer the vaccine.

This year’s flu season will be the first time that people in the U.S. will be able to administer their own flu vaccines at home, without the aid of a health care provider. Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a nasal spray called FluMist as the first self-administered flu vaccine for individuals aged 2 through 49 years of age.

Vaccine hesitancy

Asked about vaccine hesitancy, Tailor said she tells her patients it’s important to get vaccinated, whether for the flu or other diseases, because it offers protection against the disease and gives our bodies a blueprint for how to fight them.

“So that way, your symptoms are not as severe as what they would have been otherwise,” she said.

Flu can be life-threatening, she said, especially for high-risk groups such as the elderly, people with certain chronic medical conditions, and small children.

According to the CDC, an estimated 75 million people in the U.S. got the flu during last year’s flu season, resulting in 900,000 hospitalizations and between 17,000 and 100,000 deaths, including 200 children.

“So regardless of how old you are, it is important to get a vaccine to help make your body smarter, help your body fight off these illnesses because they can be life-threatening,” she said.

When should you get the flu vaccine? 

Tailor recommended getting a flu shot sometime in the next five weeks to allow for maximum protection during the holidays and the cold, winter months when people tend to congregate indoors.

Health officials encourage everyone six months and older to get a flu shot, because it’s the best defense in fighting the flu.

Asked about taking the flu vaccine and the Covid-19 vaccine at the same time, Tailor said that while it is safe to take them together, it’s important to think about how you’ve reacted to the vaccines in the past when you make this decision.

For example, she said, if one or both of the shots have historically made you feel bad for a few days after getting them, you might consider spacing them out.