Flu Season 2026: Who Should Get the Shot?
Every year the influenza virus returns in a slightly new coat. The seasonal vaccine is updated to match it — and the question is not whether to get it, but whether you are someone who should.
Influenza is often dismissed as "just the flu", but it remains one of the leading vaccine-preventable causes of hospitalisation in India, particularly among the very young, the elderly, and those with chronic conditions. The good news is that the seasonal vaccine is safe, widely available, and takes about two weeks to become fully effective.
Who should definitely get the shot
- Adults over 65 — immune response wanes with age, and complications are more severe.
- Children aged 6 months to 5 years — among the most likely to be hospitalised with flu.
- Pregnant women — protects both mother and the newborn for the first few months.
- People with diabetes, asthma, or heart disease — flu can destabilise these conditions quickly.
- Healthcare and frontline workers — to protect the patients around them.
What about healthy adults and older children?
For healthy people between 5 and 65, the vaccine is recommended but not urgent. Even so, getting it means fewer sick days, less chance of passing the virus to a vulnerable family member, and a milder illness if you do catch it. We encourage it for anyone who lives with or cares for an elderly relative or a young infant.
Common myths, briefly
The flu shot cannot give you the flu — it contains no live virus. Mild arm soreness or a low-grade temperature for a day is a sign your immune system is responding, not of illness. And no, last year's shot does not protect you this year; the virus drifts, and the formula is updated annually.
Our October drive
Greenleaf is running a free flu vaccination drive through October for all enrolled senior patients, and a subsidised shot for the rest of the family. Walk-ins are welcome on weekday mornings, or you can book a slot to avoid a wait. We will also send you a reminder when next year's vaccine is due.