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Three people, all wearing masks, different ages, races and genders. Raising their sleeves to show off a band-aid on their shoulder. Text reads: Wrong time for the flu. Right time for a flu shot.

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Seasonal Flu (Influenza)

Go to: Vaccination | Symptoms | Transmission | Treatment | Prevention | Risk Groups

Flu Season Is Here

Everyone ages 6 months and older should get an annual flu vaccine now.

Flu vaccines are updated each year to protect against the strains expected to spread. The recently updated 2026–2027 versions are now available in New York City.

To find a flu vaccination site, talk to your doctor, visit the NYC Health Map, or call 311.

See detailed respiratory virus season vaccination recommendations from the American Medical Association.


Flu (influenza) is a contagious respiratory illness that causes symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, and body aches. It is most common during the fall and winter months. Every year, about 1,500 to 2,000 New Yorkers die of seasonal flu and pneumonia, which can develop as a complication of the flu.

Vaccination

Flu vaccines are safe and are the best way to protect yourself against getting sick with the flu. Even if you still get the flu after being vaccinated, the flu vaccine reduces your risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

The NYC Health Department recommends that most people get the flu vaccine in September or October each year. People can continue to be vaccinated as long as the flu is circulating in the community, even into the late spring.

You can receive the flu vaccine at the same time as other vaccines, including COVID-19 and, if you are eligible, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Who Should Get Vaccinated

Everyone ages 6 months and older should get their annual flu vaccine.

It is especially important to get vaccinated if you are in a group that is at higher risk for serious outcomes from the flu, including:

  • People ages 65 and older
  • Children younger than 5 years, and especially those under 2
  • People with certain underlying health conditions
  • Pregnant people
  • Residents of nursing homes or other long-term care facilities

It is critical for healthcare workers and people who interact with groups at higher risk of severe outcomes from the flu to receive a flu vaccine each year. Those who care for severely immunocompromised people should not receive the live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV).

See High-Risk Groups for more information.

Children in school or childcare may be required to get a flu vaccine in NYC.

If you are currently sick, have a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome or have a history of a severe allergic reaction to the flu vaccine or any ingredient in it, talk to your provider before getting a vaccine.

Where to Get Vaccinated

Flu vaccines are widely available at doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and community health clinics and through employer-sponsored programs. Most health insurance plans cover flu vaccination without a co-pay or other fees. You can also find vaccination sites on the NYC Health Map. or by calling 311.

New Yorkers with no or limited health insurance can get low- to no cost vaccines, including at NYC H+H sites. You can also find low- to no-cost vaccination sites on the NYC Health Map when you filter by “Payment”.

About the Vaccines

The flu vaccine is usually given by an injection (shot), but there is also a nasal spray flu vaccine. Different vaccines are approved for use in people in different age groups.

In addition to the standard dose, there are four flu vaccines recommended for people ages 65 and older. If you have questions about which vaccine is best for you, talk to your doctor.

The flu vaccines are very safe. Side effects are usually mild and may include soreness, redness, and swelling where the shot was given, headache, fever, nausea, muscle aches, and fatigue.

Flu vaccines are made using killed flu viruses (for inactivated vaccines), weakened flu viruses (for the nasal spray), or without flu virus at all (for recombinant vaccines). You cannot get the flu from a flu vaccine.


Go to: Vaccination | Symptoms | Transmission | Treatment | Prevention | Risk Groups


Transmission (Spread)

Flu is very contagious and easily spreads through contact with someone who is sick. The virus spreads mainly by droplets produced when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes, or talks. People can become sick if these droplets or infected mucus or saliva enter their eyes, nose, or mouth.

People can spread the virus up to a day before they have symptoms and when they are sick. Usually, people are more contagious in the first three days of illness.

If you have symptoms of flu or test positive for the virus, you should stay home and take steps to avoid spreading the virus to others. See Prevention for more information.


Go to: Vaccination | Symptoms | Transmission | Treatment | Prevention | Risk Groups


Symptoms and Testing

Flu symptoms usually start to show one to four days after being exposed to the virus. Most people are sick for a few days.

Typical symptoms include fever, fatigue, chills, headache, body aches, cough, runny or stuffy nose, and sore throat. Intestinal symptoms, such as vomiting or diarrhea, are possible but less common.

Flu sometimes leads to serious complications, such as pneumonia, hospitalization, or death.

Flu symptoms can be similar to symptoms of other respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19 and RSV.

If you have symptoms, get tested for flu and COVID-19 right away so you can start treatment if eligible. Many doctors’ offices, clinics, urgent care centers and pharmacies offer testing for COVID-19, flu and other respiratory viruses in one test.


Go to: Vaccination | Symptoms | Transmission | Treatment | Prevention | Risk Groups


Treatment and Care

Most people recover from the flu on their own, but treatment with antiviral medicine is available for people at increased risk of severe illness and complications from flu. If you have flu, contact your provider right away to see if you should get treatment, as treatment works better the sooner it begins.

Everyone who has the flu should rest and drink plenty of liquids. You can consider over-the-counter medications to reduce symptoms such as fever. People 18 and younger should not take aspirin or aspirin-containing products, such as Alka Seltzer or Pepto-Bismol. Aspirin can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye’s syndrome in young people with flu or other viral illnesses. Talk to your provider if you have questions about what medicines to take.

You should call your provider if you experience emergency symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or severe weakness or muscle pain. If your child is sick, call their provider if they have any of the following:

  • Signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth or a decreased amount of urine (which can result in less-wet diapers)
  • A fever that lasts more than three days or stays above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius), or any fever If they are younger than 3 months old
  • Unusual fussiness, poor feeding or sleeplessness.

If you are unable to reach a provider, go to an urgent care center or an emergency room.

For adults or children with difficulty breathing (in young children, this may appear as rapid breathing, grunting, nostrils flaring or using neck muscles to breathe), a pale or blue color around the lips or mouth, confusion, severe dehydration, or other concerning symptoms, call 911 or go to a nearby hospital.


Go to: Vaccination | Symptoms | Transmission | Treatment | Prevention | Risk Groups


Prevention

In addition to getting vaccinated, follow these tips to help avoid getting and spreading flu:

If you feel sick or test positive for flu, stay home until your symptoms are improving and you have not had a fever without using fever-reducing medicines for at least 24 hours. You can then resume usual activities like work and school, but you should still wear a well-fitting mask for the next five days.


Go to: Vaccination | Symptoms | Transmission | Treatment | Prevention | Risk Groups


High-Risk Groups

Anyone can get very sick from the flu and have serious complications. However, the following groups are more likely to have severe illness, be hospitalized, or even die from the flu:

  • Children younger than 5, especially those under 2
  • People age 65 and older
  • Pregnant people and people up to two weeks after the end of pregnancy
  • People with certain health conditions, including:
    • Asthma, emphysema or any other chronic lung diseases
    • Heart, kidney or liver disease
    • Blood disorders, such as sickle cell anemia
    • Endocrine disorders, such as diabetes
    • Metabolic disorders
    • Weakened immune system, from illness or medication
    • Neurologic or neurodevelopmental conditions
    • Certain disabilities that interfere with muscle or lung function, coughing, or clearing fluids from airways
    • Long-term aspirin therapy in people under 19
    • Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or higher
    • Having had a stroke
  • People living in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities
  • Certain racial or ethnic groups, including Black, Latino, and American Indian and Alaskan Native persons

Additional Resources

More Information