Best Time to Get a Flu Shot: Now!
The San Francisco Department of Public Health urges that everyone age 6 months and older should get their yearly flu vaccine for the winter flu season. If you haven’t had one yet, it’s not too late! Flu disease is still circulating throughout the USA and is expected to last into April, 2019.
The flu vaccine protects everyone’s health — it prevents individuals from getting sick, limits the spread of flu from person to person, and reduces the chance of hospitalization. For more information on influenza including information for providers, visit our influenza home page.
The flu season goes from November through April. Flu vaccines are widely available at doctors’ offices, clinics, and pharmacies. To find a flu vaccine near you, visit the Vaccine Finder. For a list of SF locations that offer free or low-cost flu vaccinations, visit our where-to-get-immunized page.
Meningococcal Vaccination for Gay and Bisexual Men
Outbreaks of meningitis have occurred among gay men in some US cities. Immunization can prevent brain, lung, and blood infection due to meningococcal bacteria (Neisseria meningitidis).
Learn more about meningococcal disease and how to prevent it.
The best place to be vaccinated is at your doctor’s office. If you do not have a medical provider, find out where you can go for drop-in vaccination services in San Francisco.
Pregnant? Get Vaccinated to Protect Your Baby from Pertussis
Pertussis (Whooping Cough) is an easily spread infectious disease. It can cause coughing fits that make it hard to breathe. Young babies can get very sick, very fast if they get pertussis. Vaccination is the best way to prevent pertussis. The pertussis vaccine for adolescents and adults is called Tdap.
- Pregnant women need a Tdap shot during their third trimester of pregnancy (27 – 36 weeks), even if they were vaccinated before pregnancy.