Flu Shot Season Begins

Flu season doesn’t start until Nov. 1, but the flu vaccination season is already underway.

“The best time to get a flu vaccination is before the flu season starts,” said Jonathan Grein, MD, director of hospital epidemiology. “It takes a couple of weeks for the vaccine to be fully effective because your body needs a little time to build up the antibodies it needs to fight off the flu. That's why we recommend getting vaccinated in October.”

Although many think the flu is a minor inconvenience, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 80,000 Americans died of flu and its complications last winter — the disease’s highest death toll in at least forty years. The flu can lead to fatal complications like pneumonia, stroke and heart attack. The flu hit epidemic levels for 16 straight weeks and more than 700,000 people were hospitalized.

“The flu is a serious health threat, especially to people who are vulnerable like the elderly and children, as well as people fighting serious illnesses, like cancer, because their immune systems are compromised,” Grein said.

In an effort to help as many people as possible get vaccinated, Cedars-Sinai is sponsoring a number of free vaccination clinics. Community members are invited to get their free flu shots from a Cedars-Sinai health professional at any of these clinics:

• Tuesday, Oct. 2, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. at Beverly Hills Roxbury Park, 471 S. Roxbury Drive, Beverly Hills, 90212
• Thursday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. at People Coordinated Services Multipurpose Senior Center, 5133 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, 90043
• Sunday, Oct. 7, 10 a.m. – noon, Holman United Methodist Church, 3320 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, 90018
• Tuesday, Oct. 9, 10 a.m. – noon, Korea Town Senior & Community Center, 965 S. Normandie Ave., Los Angeles, 90006
• Wednesday, Oct. 24 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority, 8800 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90012
• Sunday, Oct. 28, 10 a.m.- noon – Cedars-Sinai, Spielberg building, 8723 W. Alden Dr., 2^nd floor, Los Angeles, 90048
• Sunday, Nov. 18, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., 88^th Street Temple Church of God in Christ, 8825 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles 90044