A Brief Guide to the 2022–2023 Flu Season

Flu season comes around every year. However, because flu viruses are constantly changing, their severity and effects can change with each season. Luckily, doctors can provide vaccines against the most common and most harmful viruses are available, but they may recommend different doses based on your age. Here's what you should know about the 2022–2023 flu season.

Nationally, flu season typically begins around October 1. However, specific timing is difficult to predict and can vary in different parts of the country based on climate, population, and other factors. In Montana, the first case of flu was confirmed in late September and has spread unusually fast, with more than 1,000 cases reported by early December. 

Viruses are constantly changing, so new strains appear every year. Each season, different viruses become more dominant than others, affecting more people. For the 2022–2023 season, the H3N2 virus appears to be the dominant strain, which concerns doctors because it hits children and seniors particularly hard. Fortunately, the vaccine can protect against this flu strain. 

Doctors recommend the flu vaccine for everyone six months and older. Most people will only need a single standard dose. However, seniors 65 and older should have three doses to protect against a wider array of flu variants. While everyone should get the vaccine, some are at higher risk for complications from flu than others, including seniors, children, pregnant women, and those with chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. 

You can still get the flu even if you've had the flu shot. This can happen if you are exposed to a flu virus before getting vaccinated, you are exposed to a virus strain that the vaccine does not cover, or an underlying health condition affects the vaccine's efficacy. However, if you do get sick, the vaccine has been proven to reduce the severity of the illness.

However, because flu and COVID-19 are caused by different viruses, a separate vaccination is needed to protect against each of them. You can get the COVID-19 vaccine, or a booster, at the same time as you get your flu shot.