Feds Urge Early Flu Shots As Australia Sees Outbreak

September 27, 2019 Medicine, Science

Public health officials on Thursday urged Americans to get their seasonal flu vaccine early this year, in case the U.S. follows Australia’s season in which the virus hit many people early.

While public health officials admit the vaccine is not 100% effective, there’s growing research showing that the vaccine reduces the severe and sometimes deadly complications from the disease and can protect newborns if the mother receives the vaccine while pregnant.

Australia’s flu season — which can provide an indication, but does not necessarily foretell the severity of the U.S. season — started early and is considered to be one of the worst influenza seasons the country has seen.

Public health officials are urging Americans to get their seasonal flu vaccine early this year, in case the U.S. follows Australia’s season in which the virus hit many people early.https://t.co/PfIbba6dbo

— Axios (@axios) September 26, 2019

CDC urging people to get flu shot by end of October tps://bit.ly/2nKPuSM pic.twitter.com/IXQn3d95sn

— CBS46 (@cbs46) September 27, 2019