You may feel like the list of necessary shots and other preventive measures starts getting longer the day you turn 50 — and keeps growing. But if you’re a senior in the Atlanta area, don’t let a busy schedule or a full calendar of medical appointments keep you from getting your flu shot for the 2025–2026 season.
It’s a simple step that can offer strong protection against serious illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends an annual flu shot — and so do Atlanta-area doctors.
“Every year the new flu shot is slightly different, so this version gives your body the best chance to not get influenza in the winter 2025-2026 flu season,” Dr. Theodore M. Johnson II, the chair of Family and Preventive Medicine at Emory Healthcare, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“You can still catch the flus even with a vaccine, but it protects you from getting severely ill or needing to be hospitalized.”
The flu shot plays a crucial role in preventing serious complications such as pneumonia and ear infections — especially among people with weakened immune systems, heart disease, cancer or diabetes. For these individuals, the flu can significantly worsen existing health conditions, making vaccination even more important.
Each year, thousands of people are hospitalized — and many lose their lives — because of complications from the flu, according to the CDC, highlighting just how serious this illness can be.
Because standard flu vaccines tend to be less effective in adults aged 65 and older — who also face a higher risk of hospitalization or death from the flu — the CDC now recommends one of three enhanced vaccines for this age group: HD-IIV3, RIV3 or aIIV3. Your doctor or health care provider can help you choose the option that’s best for you.
If a higher-dose or adjuvanted flu vaccine isn’t available at the time of your visit, the CDC advises going ahead with any age-appropriate flu shot that is offered.
As for the timing, don’t wait, Johnson said. “I always get my influenza vaccine in September or October of each year, as that is early enough for early winter protection and late enough to last all flu season.”
In the Atlanta area, adults aged 65 and older can typically receive a flu shot at no cost through Medicare Part B. Younger individuals or those without Medicare may also be eligible for a free flu shot if they have preventive care coverage through private or employer-provided insurance, or if they’re enrolled in a Marketplace health plan.
Many pharmacies and low-cost clinics can help individuals access free or reduced-cost flu vaccines. In addition, local senior centers often host flu shot clinics — sometimes as part of larger health fairs — making it easier for older adults to get vaccinated in a convenient, community-based setting.
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