How Long Does the Flu Shot Last? Here's What Experts Say

Health spoke with a few infectious disease experts to find out how long you're covered with a flu shot, and what that means for when you should get your next one. As a general rule “the flu shot is most effective in the first three months, [but] people still have protection after six months,” Vanessa Raabe, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist at NYU Langone Health, explains. Basically, you need to get the flu shot every year—no exceptions, unless you're severely allergic to the vaccine or are six months of age or younger.