During last year's flu season, around 40 million people contracted the virus — 18 million of them went to see their doctor or to the emergency room because of their symptoms; almost half a million were hospitalized; and 28,000 died from influenza-related issues such as pneumonia and inflammation of the heart and brain, or sepsis.
Unfortunately, vaccination coverage only hit 32% of Americans in 2023. Even so, it's estimated that vaccinations prevented almost 10 million influenza-related illnesses, around 5 million medical visits, 120,000 influenza-related hospitalizations, and nearly 8,000 influenza-related deaths.
To take advantage of the protection a flu shot provides, research indicates that the best choice may be to get a recombinant influenza vaccine.
According to a study in the journal Open Forum Infectious Diseases, the recombinant vaccine elicits a 29% stronger humoral immune response than the standard dose of an inactivated flu vaccine when given to people ages 18 to 64.
A humoral immune response means that your immune system's B cells marshal a defense against the invading flu virus, and with any luck lay it to waste.
Other ways to strengthen your immune system include having a regular sleep schedule, eating at least seven servings of fruits and vegetables daily, eliminating added sugars and red meats from your
diet, and getting 300 minutes of exercise weekly.