December doesn’t just bring Christmas cheer. It also brings a rise in influenza cases, marking a peak month in the year’s annual flu season. For this reason, the first full week in December (Dec. 6-12 in 2020) is National Influenza Vaccination Week. Here’s what you need to know about this annual event:

What is National Influenza Vaccination Week?

The CDC established National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) in 2005 as a way to bring awareness to the importance of annual influenza vaccines. Each year, they use this week to bring increased awareness to flu vaccines by providing updated messaging and helpful resources to healthcare providers and individuals.

Why Do I Need A Flu Vaccine?

Influenza is a common and potentially deadly illness that affects millions of people across the globe each year. While many will recover completely, each flu season causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths. Those most at risk include small children, older adults, and those with underlying health conditions.

Getting a flu vaccination is the best way to protect against the flu. The CDC notes many benefits to getting a flu vaccine, including:

  • It can keep you from getting the flu.
  • It reduces the risk of flu-related hospitalizations.
  • It can reduce worsening and hospitalization for flu-related chronic lung disease, such as in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  • It can reduce severity of illness in those who get vaccinated but still get sick.
  • It protects those around you.

This year, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic makes getting your flu vaccination more important than ever. Medical professionals are uncertain how a rise in both conditions will affect death rates, hospitalizations, or healthcare staff. That’s why it’s extremely important to get your flu shot this year, especially if you’re in a high-risk category.

Is the flu vaccine safe?

The flu vaccine is safe for most people. However, there are certain groups of people who should not get a flu shot, including children under 6 months of age, those who have had a severe reaction to a previous flu vaccine, those with egg or mercury allergies, and those with Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Contrary to popular belief, the flu vaccine cannot give you the flu. It’s made with an inactive form of the virus that cannot cause infection. Common side effects include low-grade fever, chills or headache, and swelling or tenderness around the injection site.

Where can I get a flu vaccine?

It’s easier than ever to get a flu vaccine. Vaccinations are given in doctor’s offices, urgent care clinics, health departments, and pharmacies across the country. Many employers and even some schools also offer flu vaccinations.

To find a place to get a flu vaccine near you, visit the CDC’s flu vaccine finder.