Skip to main content
CA.Gov State of California Logo
en EspaƱol Contact Us About News & Media Jobs/Careers
+ Increase Text Resize Reset to Default - Decrease
CDPH Site Logo
CDPH Site Logo
  • Text Size
      • + Increase Increase
      • - DecreaseDecrease
      • Reset to Default Reset to Default
  • I am looking for
      • What’s New

      • 2025 State of Public Health Testimony

      • CDPH New Look

      • H5N1 Bird Flu

      • Respiratory Virus Report

      • Tips for After an Earthquake

      • Wildfire Preparedness and Safety

      • CDPH 2025-26 Budget May Revision

      • Administrative

      • All Local Health Jurisdiction Letters & Notices

      • Budget Highlights

      • Boards and Advisory Committees

      • Forms

      • Language Access Services Program

      • Local Health Services/Offices

      • Public Records Act Request

      • Proposed Regulations

      • Proposition 56 Fiscal Reporting

      • Diseases and Conditions

      • Cancer

      • COVID-19

      • Diabetes

      • Diseases and Conditions

      • Disease Reporting

      • Healthcare-Associated Infections

      • HIV/AIDS

      • Mpox

      • Problem Gambling

      • Respiratory Viruses

      • Sexually Transmitted Diseases

      • See More
      • Family Health

      • Breastfeeding

      • Genetic Disease Screening

      • Mental Health

      • Nutrition and Physical Activity

      • Pregnancy and Reproductive Health

      • Women, Infants and Children

      • Health and Safety

      • Climate Change and Health

      • Emergency Preparedness

      • Environmental Health

      • Health in all Policies

      • Workplace Health

      • Health Facilities

      • File a Complaint

      • California Health Facilities Information Database

      • Personal Health and Prevention

      • Behavioral Health

      • Cannabis (Marijuana)

      • Immunizations

      • Nutrition

      • Quit Smoking

      • Licensing, Certification and Other Credentials

      • Certificates, Licenses, Permits and Registrations

      • Health Care Facility Licenses

      • Health Care Professionals

      • Laboratory

      • Medical Professional Licenses

      • Medical Waste

      • Pet Importation and Exportation

      • Radiation and Nuclear

      • Registered Environmental Health Specialist

      • Vital Records

      • X-ray Machine Registration

  • I am a
      • Clinician / Healthcare Provider

      • Legislator / Legislative Staff

      • Media Representative

      • Researcher / Statistician

      • Person Interested In

      • Infant and Child Health

      • Men’s Health

      • Senior Health

      • Women’s Health

      • Youth and Young Adult's Health

      • LGBT Health

  • Programs
      • Center for Healthy Communities

      • California Tobacco Control

      • Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention

      • Chronic Disease Control

      • Chronic Disease Surveillance and Research

      • Emergency Preparedness

      • See More
      • Center for Preparedness and Response

      • Be Prepared California

      • Know and Understand Natural Disasters

      • Center for Family Health

      • Genetic Disease Screening Program

      • Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health

      • Women, Infants and Children

      • Center for Health Care Quality

      • Healthcare-Associated Infections Program

      • Licensing and Certification

      • Center for Health Statistics and Informatics

      • End of Life Option Act

      • Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program

      • Research and Analytics Branch

      • Vital Records

      • Center for Infectious Diseases

      • HIV/AIDS

      • Binational Border Health

      • Communicable Disease Control

      • Communicable Disease Emergency Response

      • Refugee Health

      • See More
      • Director / State Public Health Officer

      • Legislative and Governmental Affairs

      • Let's Talk Cannabis

      • Office of Health Equity

      • Office of Communications

      • See More
      • Center for Environmental Health

      • Division of Food and Drug Safety

      • Division of Radiation Safety and Environmental Management

      • See More
      • Center for Laboratory Sciences

      • Division of Environmental Health Laboratories

      • Infectious Diseases Laboratory Division

      • Laboratory Field Services

      • Office of State Public Health Laboratory Director

      • Operations Branch

      • See More
      • Other CDPH Offices

      • Privacy Office

      • Office of Regulations

      • See More
  • A-Z Index
Division of Communicable Disease Control

Skip Navigation Linksinfluenza
 

Top Menu
  • Division of Communicable Disease ControlCurrently selected
    • CAIR
Skip Navigation LinksDivision of Communicable Disease Control > Pages > immunization > influenza
  • Home
  • Programs
  • Center for Infectious Diseases
  • Division of Communicable Disease Control
  • Influenza
Left Menu
  • RecentCurrently selected
  • CalREDIE
  • CalREDIE Contact Us
  • CDER Contact Us
  • CDER Information for Health Professionals
  • CDER Resources
  • Chlamydia
  • Communicable Disease Emergency Response Program
  • DCDC Contact Us
  • DCDC Information for Local Health Departments
  • DCDC Resources
  • Gonorrhea
  • Hepatitis C
  • Infectious Diseases Branch
  • Interpreting Zika Virus Test Results
  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control Branch
  • Syphilis
  • TBCBContactUs
  • Trichomoniasis
  • VRDL Guidelines for Specimen Collection and Submission for Pathologic Testing

influenza (Flu)

Woman laying on couch feeling sick
  • Immunization Home
  • Me and My Family
  • Health Care Providers
  • Disease Info and Reports
  • Laws and Regulations
  • +VacĆŗnate Ya
    • NiƱos
    • Adolescentes
    • Los Adultos
    • El Embarazo
    • Escolares
    • Programa
  • Weekly Respiratory Virus Report

Protect Yourself from Flu

Flu can be a serious illness that is easily spread from person to person. CDC estimates that flu causes millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths each year in the United States. The best way to protect yourself and your family against flu is by getting vaccinated. Everyone six months of age and older should receive the flu vaccine every year.

There are many reasons to get a flu vaccine each year:

  • Flu vaccines help keep you from getting very sick from flu. Flu vaccines lower chances of illness and hospitalization.
  • Flu vaccines lower the risk of serious flu complications. Especially among older adults or those with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.
  • Flu vaccines during pregnancy help protect people who are pregnant  and their babies from flu complications. This includes early delivery, low birth weight of the baby, and stillbirth.
  • Flu vaccines help babies and young children stay healthy. Flu vaccines help protect love ones who are at risk from flu. Getting vaccinated not helps protect infants, young children, and older adults in your family.
  • Flu vaccines can be given at the same time as other recommended vaccines, such as COVID-19 and RSV. It is safe, effective, and convenient to get these vaccines at the same time.​

Where to Get Vaccinated

  • At your doctor’s office. Vaccines are usually covered by insurance.  Children may be able to get no-cost vaccines through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program at healthcare providers offices and pharmacies that are enrolled in the VFC Program.  Contact your doctor to learn if they are enrolled in VFC or visit MyTurn to find a vaccine clinic based on your child’s eligibility.
  • Schedule your flu vaccine today on MyTurn. Pharmacies usually accept most insurance, including Medi-Cal.
  • Some local health departments may also offer low- or no-cost flu vaccines. 

What You Need to Know

  • Influenza in Animals
  • Avian Health Information (NEW) (CDFA)
  • Reporting and Testing of Sick and Dead Birds by California State Agencies (PDF)
  • Influenza symptoms, how it spreads and other facts (CDC)
  • Facts About the Flu Vaccine​ (CDC)
  • Flu Season Frequently Asked Questions (CDC)
  • Flu Shots Don’t Cause the Flu (CDC)                                            
  • Real-life Stories of the Flu (SBS)

More Resources & Reports

Disease Information​​

  • CDPH Influenza Guidance for Local Health Departments (PDF)​
  • Influenza, COVID-19,​ and Respiratory Illness Outbreak Quicksheet ​(PDF)​
  • Human Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Quicksheet​ (PDF)
  • Variant Influenza Quicksheet ​(PDF) ​

Flu Campaign Tools

  • Digital M​​edia Toolkit​ (CDC)
  • Fight Flu Together (CDPH Social Media)                                          
  • No Time for Flu (Ad Council, CDC, AMA)

For Health Professionals

General

  • Influenza Information (CDC)
  • Healthcare-Associated Infections Program
  • Sentinel Provider Program

Vaccine Information​

  • Influenza Vaccination Information (CDC)
  • Vaccine Identification Guide (PDF)
Antiviral Information
  • Antiviral Guidance for Shelter Residents (PDF)
  • Antiviral Drugs: Information for Health Care Professionals (CDC)

Resources

  • Resources for Maternal Influenza Immunization (ACOG)
  • HAI Program: Detecting and Controlling Outbreaks
  • Information for Clinicians on Influenza Virus Testing (CDC)
  • Influenza Vaccination Screening Questionnaires

Laboratory Guidance

  • Guidelines for Laboratory Services (PDF)
  • Influenza General Information (PDF)
  • Specimen Submittal Form
  • Resources​​​

    • Respiratory Viruses Prevention​
    • Flu Information for the Public​ (CDC)
    • National Respiratory & Enteric Virus Surveillance System (CDC)
    • Preventing Spread of Infections in K-12 Schools (CDC)
    • Flu Prevention Education Materials
    • Communicable Disease Emergency Response Branch
    • Flu Immunization and the ATD Standard During the Pandemic (PDF, 1.3MB)
    • World Health Organization Influenza Information (WHO)

    Surveillance Reports

    California Influenza and Other Respiratory  Disease Surveillance (CDPH)

    • ​Respiratory Virus Weekly Report
    • Historic Respiratory Virus Weekly Report
    • Historic Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Weekly ā€‹Reports (2023​​-2024 and seasons prior)​​​​​​​

    ​ National Influenza Surveillance (CDC)​​​

    • Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report
    • Interactive Influenza Surveillance Dashboard 
    • Respiratory Illness Data Channel​
    • Influenza vaccine coverage​​
    Page Last Updated : February 13, 2025
    PHAB
    For General Public Information
    • (916) 558-1784
    • Contact Us
    • Web Accessibility Certification
    • Download pdf viewer
    • Feedback
    • Jobs/Careers
    • Privacy Policy
    • Sitemap
    • Use Policy
    Useful Links
    • Visit Governor's Website
    • State Agency Directory
    • CA Health & Human Services
    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    Visit CDPH on Instagram for the latest updates and health tips. Follow CDPH on Facebook to stay informed and connected. Explore professional updates and news from CDPH on LinkedIn. Watch health-related videos and get updates from CDPH on YouTube. Stay up to date with tweets and announcements from CDPH on X. Get the latest information and stay informed with CDPH on Bluesky. Connect and engage with CDPH on Threads to get the latest updates.