Get your flu shot now. The peak of the deadly flu season occurs in the winter between December and February. -Boulder Daily Camera

By Anna Dermenchyan

Every flu season, I think back to the young teacher I cared for years ago as an intensive care unit nurse. He was only 28 years old, healthy and had no underlying illnesses. At first he had a simple cough and a runny nose – symptoms he probably picked up from a student. But when he arrived at the hospital he was on the verge of collapse and gasping for air.

I can still hear the frantic beeps of the monitors as we rushed to stabilize him and try to restore oxygen to his failing organs. He was soon ventilated, sedated and given several medications to keep his body functioning. Despite our weeks of tireless efforts in the intensive care unit, we were unable to save him.

Unfortunately, his death may have been preventable – he had not received a flu shot.

I was 27 at the time and had always viewed the flu as a manageable annoyance that could knock you out for a few days. But since witnessing that teacher’s deadly battle 15 years ago, I have made it a point to get a flu shot every year. I urge my family and friends to do the same.

I know many people think of the flu as old news and dismiss it as a minor seasonal annoyance. It’s easy to overlook how many people this can kill (the 1957-58 pandemic killed 1.1 million people worldwide). While not every type of flu is as deadly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the flu affected at least 34 million Americans last season, hospitalizing at least 380,000 people and possibly killing up to 100,000 people.

Older adults are particularly at risk. During the 2022-23 flu season, adults aged 65 and older accounted for nearly 72% of all flu-related deaths.

Despite these dangers, flu vaccination coverage remains low. A survey by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases found that only 38% of adults were interested in getting a flu shot.

Many people mistakenly believe that only high-risk groups such as older adults, pregnant women, children under five, and people with chronic illnesses need to worry about the flu. But the truth is that the virus can affect anyone, even healthy people – as I saw firsthand with this young teacher.

There is also a belief that if someone does not have the flu, they will not get it again in the future. But the flu virus mutates and can vary in severity each season. It is worst in autumn and winter and peaks between December and February.

Right now, flu season is just around the corner. Many local health departments and community organizations offer free or low-cost flu vaccines. Medicare and most insurance plans also cover the flu shot for free.

Although the flu shot may not prevent every case, it remains the best defense against the virus. In general, it reduces the risk of disease by 40-60%. Even in years when vaccinations were not perfectly matched to the flu strains of the season, the flu shot can still help people ward off the disease and avoid hospitalization.

Don’t wait. Get your flu shot now – not just for yourself, but also for the people you love. By doing so, you will help protect your family, friends and community, especially the most vulnerable, such as the elderly and young children, who rely on our collective immunity. As a new mother to a four-month-old baby, he won’t be old enough for a flu shot until he’s six months old. If you get your chance, I will be especially grateful.

Anna Dermenchyan is a quality officer at UCLA Health, where she leads initiatives to improve patient care for diverse populations in Los Angeles. She is also a health policy and media fellow at the George Washington Center for Health Policy and Media Engagement.