October is the official start of flu season.
And it's the start of the season for everyone- the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages pretty much anyone older than 6 months to get a shot.
The shot, which takes about two weeks to become fully active in the body, protects against three to four viruses. But not everyone gets that protection.
Around 50 percent of Americans get the flu shot…which is 20 percent lower than medical officials would like.
This year, a nasal spray called 'FluMist' is back after a few years on hiatus. It is approved for 2-49 year olds. A nasal spray option is part of an effort to promote getting the vaccine.
You might ask why medical officials encourage getting a flu shot. It comes down to the amount of the people the flu affects.
Depending on the severity of the strains, 5 to 20 percent of the U.S. population will get the flu every year. An average of 200 thousand people will be hospitalized from the flu every year.
Between 3,000 to 49,000 people die each year from the flu. According to the CDC, at least 172 kids died from the flu in the 2017-2018 season. According to a spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Health, the 2017-2018 flu season in Minnesota caused about 6,300 hospitalizations, which was the worst season for the state since 2008.
This all costs a lot of money. The average cost of hospitalizations and outpatient visits averages $10 billion. And it affects the workplace as well, according to Flu.gov, the flu accounts for 111 million lost workdays and nearly $7 billion in lost productivity.
Think twice before skipping out on getting your flu shot - your health AND your wallet may thank you.