On Sept. 29, 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that during the 2022-2023 flu season, 49% of the overall U.S. population 6 months and older received a flu vaccine. This was a decrease of 2 percentage points over the previous season.

While flu vaccination coverage increased the two seasons prior to the COVID-19 pandemic for children (2018–2020), coverage declined during the pandemic and at 57% remains about 6 percentage points below pre-pandemic levels. Disparities in flu vaccination coverage among children living in urban versus rural areas worsened last season. Flu vaccination rates for children living in rural areas was 19 percentage points lower than for children living in urban areas last season, compared to a gap of 13 percentage points during 2021–2022.

An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help reduce the risk flu and its potentially serious complications. September and October are ideal times to get vaccinated. As of September 16, 2023, CDC has received reports from manufacturers that 83.59 million doses of flu vaccine have been distributed across the U.S. so far this season.

Last flu season started early in the United States, with activity increasing nationally at the beginning of October 2022 and peaking in early December 2022. CDC preliminary estimates are that during the 2022–2023 flu season, 31 million people got sick with flu, 14 million people visited a health care provider with flu, 360,000 people were hospitalized with flu, and 21,000 people died due to flu illness or related complications. Additionally, 176 flu related deaths in children were reported to CDC for this season. This is the third largest number of deaths in children reported during a seasonal flu epidemic since reporting began during the 2004–2005 flu season. Like many seasons, adults 65 years and older were hospitalized at the highest rate last season, followed by children younger than 5 years.

CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated against flu each year. Flu vaccination reduces the burden of flu illness, hospitalization, and death and getting vaccinated could also help protect others who are at higher risk to serious flu illness, like babies and young children, older people, and people with certain chronic health conditions. If you have questions about which flu vaccine is right for you or getting your flu vaccine at the same time as another vaccine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider.