2022-2023 Flu Season
Getting an annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu. Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations. The more people who get vaccinated, the more people will be protected from flu, including older people, very young children, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions who are more vulnerable to serious flu complications. The following section summarizes information about the 2022-2023 flu season.
What’s new with flu vaccinations for 2022-2023?
A few things are different for the 2022-2023 influenza (flu) season, including:
- The composition of flu vaccines has been updated.
- For the 2022-2023 flu season, there are three flu vaccines that are preferentially recommended for people 65 years and older. These are Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine, Flublok Quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine and Fluad Quadrivalent adjuvanted flu vaccine.
- The recommended timing of vaccination is similar to last season. For most people who need only one dose for the season, September and October are generally good times to get vaccinated. Vaccination in July and August is not recommended for most adults but can be considered for some groups. While ideally it’s recommended to get vaccinated by the end of October, it’s important to know that vaccination after October can still provide protection during the peak of flu season.
- The age indication for the cell culture-based inactivated flu vaccine, Flucelvax Quadrivalent (ccIIV4), changed from 2 years and older to 6 months and older.
- Pre-filled Afluria Quadrivalent flu shots for children are not expected to be available this season. However, children can receive this vaccine from a multidose vial at the recommended dose.
What viruses will the 2022-2023 flu vaccines protect against?
There are many different flu viruses, and they are constantly changing. The composition of U.S. flu vaccines is reviewed annually and updated as needed. The recommendations for the 2022-2023 season include two updates compared with the recommended composition of last season’s U.S. flu vaccines. Both the influenza A(H3N2) and the influenza B (Victoria lineage) vaccine virus components were updated.
The recommendations for egg-based and cell-based and recombinant flu vaccines are listed below:
Egg-based vaccine composition recommendations:
- an A/Victoria/2570/2019 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus;
- an A/Darwin/9/2021 (H3N2)-like virus (updated);
- a B/Austria/1359417/2021-like virus (B/Victoria lineage) (updated);
- a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus (B/Yamagata lineage)
Cell- or recombinant-based vaccine composition recommendations:
- an A/Wisconsin/588/2019 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus;
- an A/Darwin/6/2021 (H3N2)-like virus (updated);
- a B/Austria/1359417/2021-like virus (B/Victoria lineage) (updated);
- a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus (B/Yamagata lineage).
This recommendation is the same as the Southern Hemisphere flu vaccine recommendation.
For more information, visit the FDA website.
