Copyright Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — It’s getting cooler in New York City, but before you go shopping for fall clothing or head to that tailgate, be sure to get your flu shot, medical experts urge. The New York City Health Department recommends that most people get the flu vaccine by the end of October each year, though people can continue to be vaccinated as long as the flu is circulating in the community — even into the late spring. But don’t wait, medical experts have urged. Flu is a very contagious respiratory illness that infects the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. Those who catch the illness are looking at a week to 10 days of chills, fever, headache, sore throat and body aches, at minimum, Staten Island doctors told the Advance/SILive.com recently. And the flu sometimes leads to serious complications, such as pneumonia, hospitalization or death. The illness spreads very easily through contact with someone who is sick -- mainly by droplets produced when someone sneezes, coughs or talks. And you can share the virus up to a day before you even have symptoms, according to the city Health Department. Flu vaccines prevent millions of illnesses and flu-related doctor’s visits each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Usually, people are more contagious in the first three days of illness, the Health Department stated. Flu symptoms can be similar to symptoms of other respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and RSV. And for those who are wary of getting a vaccine, local doctors urged to consider those around you. Seniors, infants and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to the flu. So are those with compromised immune systems, said Dr. Thomas Gut, associate chairman of medicine at Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze. And the protection wanes over time, so an annual vaccination is a must, the CDC stated, to ensure that your immune system is refreshed and ready to fight off the flu this season. Millions of illnesses predicted The CDC predicted flu numbers to be similar to what we experienced in the 2024-2025 season, when 43 million illnesses, 560,000 hospitalizations and 38,000 deaths across the country, with the season being categorized as “high severity.” NYC sees between 1,500 and 2,000 deaths annually due to the flu and pneumonia combined, according to the city Health Department. Last year, three pediatric deaths were reported, the agency said. And over 22,000 lab-confirmed cases were reported by early February 2025, the city agency reported. The vaccines currently available and are trivalent, meaning they protect against the three main groups of influenza viruses predicted to be circulating this season: Influenza A (H1N1), Influenza A (H3N2), and Influenza B., according to the CDC. Flu vaccines are readily available at doctor’s offices, pharmacies, community health clinics and often through employer-sponsored programs. If you have symptoms, doctors recommended getting tested for flu and COVID-19 right away so you can start treatment if eligible. It is easy to access testing for COVID-19, flu and other respiratory viruses in one test at most doctor’s offices and other providers. Earlier is better The earlier you recognize flu symptoms, the better off you will be, said Dr. Alexander Beylinson, director of internal medicine at Richmond Health Network, the network of outpatient clinics operated by Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton. You can be treated with an antiviral drug, Tamiflu, within the first 48 hours of diagnosis, which will greatly reduce your symptoms, Beylinson said. It might also prevent some flu complications, like pneumonia, according to the CDC. But it won’t work more than 48 hours after a fever develops, both the doctor and the CDC said. Most health insurance plans cover flu vaccination without a co-payment or other fees. New Yorkers with no or limited health insurance can get low- to no cost vaccines at NYC H+H sites. You can also find low to no cost vaccination sites on the NYC Health Map (filter by “Payment”).
