While the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months and older should receive the annual flu vaccine, most people haven’t – at least not yet. Only 22.7% of adults and 20.8% of children have gotten the flu shot this fall, according to CDC data from October 14.
Why is it important for everyone eligible to receive the flu shot? How effective is it? Do people who have had the flu before still need a shot? Why is it necessary every year? When is the best time to get it? And what else should people do to stay healthy as the weather gets colder?
To help us with these questions, I spoke with our CNN Wellness medical expert, Dr. Leana Wen. Dr. Wen is an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She previously served as Baltimore’s health commissioner.