Flu (influenza): Get your flu shot

On this page

• Everyone 6 months or older should get the flu shot
• Considerations for getting a COVID-19 vaccine
• Groups who should especially get the vaccine
• You need a flu shot every year
• 2021-2022 flu vaccine

Everyone 6 months and older should get the flu shot

The flu shot is your best defence against the flu. The flu shot is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older.

It can save lives by:

• protecting you, if you're exposed to the virus
• preventing you from getting very sick
• protecting people close to you:
  • because you're less likely to spread the virus
  • who are at higher risk of serious flu complications if they get the flu
• reducing additional burden on the health care system during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • reduce your chances of being infected with COVID-19 and the flu at the same time, which could lead to more serious complications

The flu shot won’t protect you against COVID-19.

Where to get your flu shot

Considerations for getting a COVID-19 vaccine

It’s safe for your health care provider to administer a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as other vaccines. If you’re 12 years of age or older, you may get the flu shot at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine. You may also get it any time before or after you receive the flu shot.

For children aged 5 to 11, the National Advisory Council on Immunization recommends a 14-day interval between a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines. This is to help better monitor for possible side effects from COVID-19 vaccines. Provinces and territories will decide on an interval for this age group as part of their vaccination programs.

Talk to a health care provider or consult your provincial or territorial public health authority for the latest guidance.

Learn more about:

• Flu clinics across Canada
• COVID-19: Vaccine safety and side effects

Groups who should especially get the vaccine

The flu shot can protect you against the flu. Because of this, it can reduce your chances of being infected with COVID-19 and the flu at the same time. This can lead to serious complications. You should especially receive the flu vaccine this season if you’re:

• at high risk of severe COVID-19 related illness
• capable of spreading the flu to those at high risk of severe illness related to COVID-19

The flu vaccine is especially important for the following groups.

People at high risk of complications from the flu

• people with health conditions, such as:
  • cancer and other immune compromising conditions
  • diabetes
  • heart disease
  • lung disease
  • anemia
  • obesity
  • kidney disease
  • neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions
  • children up to 18 years of age undergoing treatment for long periods with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)
• people 65 years and older
• people who live in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities
• children under 5 years of age
• people who are pregnant
• people who experience barriers in accessing health care
• people who are at an increased risk of disease because of living conditions, such as overcrowding

People who can pass on the flu virus to those at high risk

• caregivers
• child care providers
• health care providers
• family and other household members
• those who provide services in closed or relatively closed settings to people at high risk, such as workers in long-term care facilities or crew on a ship

Talk to a health care provider to find out when it’s best to get vaccinated.

You need a flu shot every year

A new flu vaccine is created every year to protect you during flu season. It's important that you get a new flu shot every year because:

• the type of flu virus usually changes from year to year
• effectiveness of the flu shot can wear off, so you need a new one every year to stay protected

The flu shot is effective

The effectiveness of the vaccine varies from season to season. It depends on:

• how well the vaccine matches with the circulating flu viruses
• the health and age of the person getting the flu shot

The viruses circulating in the population can sometimes change during the time it takes to produce a vaccine. When this happens during the flu season, the flu shot may not work as well as expected.

It's also important to remember that the flu shot protects against several different flu viruses each season. The seasonal flu shot can still provide protection against the remaining 2 or 3 viruses, even when there’s:

• a less-than-ideal match
• lower effectiveness against one virus

If you do get the flu, the flu shot may reduce the severity of flu-related complications.

Getting your flu shot is still the most effective way to protect yourself against the flu and flu-related complications.

The flu shot is safe

• you cannot get the flu from the flu shot
• most people have no side effects from the flu shot
• severe reactions are very rare

To learn more about the safety of vaccines, refer to:

• vaccine safety and possible side effects
• vaccine safety video
• vaccine safety poster

2021-2022 flu vaccine

This season's flu shot will protect you against:

• influenza A(H1N1)
• influenza A(H3N2)
• influenza B

The flu and COVID-19 are caused by different viruses. This means that the flu shot will not protect you against COVID-19.