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Cold and flu seasons are back in Michigan, and experts say now it the time to protect yourself with an annual flu shot.
Flu season begins in the fall, typically in October, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and tends to peak in the winter months, between December and February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added.
According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, more than 2.8 million Michigan residents obtained flu vaccines during the 2024-25 season (through June 2025) — the lowest total in at least seven years and well below the department’s goal of 3.9 million vaccinations.
So far this season, about 1.2 million people have been vaccinated — just 12% of the population. In comparison, about 440,000 people have obtained COVID-19 vaccines — about 4% of the population.
In addition to your primary care physician’s office or health department, you can get a flu shot in most cases at a local pharmacy.
Here’s what to know about how to protect your health this season.
Where can you get the flu shot?
Check with your local pharmacy, doctor’s office or health department to set up your flu shot. Many health care providers offer walk-in or appointments.
When does the flu season start?
The flu season begins in the fall, typically in October, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Flu season tends to peak in the winter months, between December and February, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What causes the flu?
The flu is a respiratory illness you get from the influenza virus, the Cleveland Clinic said.
How long does the flu season last?
Flu season lasts into the spring, usually slowing in May, the Cleveland Clinic said. Influenza viruses can spread year-round. Different strains of the virus become more common each year, so an updated vaccination helps prevent the variety that is most prevalent this year.
When should you get the flu shot?
The earlier the better for the flu shot, health experts recommend. Individuals should get vaccinated against influenza by the end of October, according to the CDC.
Who should get the flu shot?
The CDC recommends everyone 6 months or older get vaccinated against the flu. Those at higher risk for the flu include:
- Adults age 65 and older
- Individuals with chronic health conditions
- Children ages five and younger
- Pregnant women
How much does the flu shot cost?
The flu shot may be free or low cost with most insurance options.
When does cold season start?
Cold season begins in the fall, typically in late August or early September, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
What causes the common cold?
A cold is caused by any one of several viruses that causes inflammation of the membranes that line the nose and throat, Johns Hopkins said, adding that it can result from any one of more than 200 different viruses. Rhinoviruses cause most colds.
How long does cold season last?
Cold season typically runs through the spring, lasting until March or April, Johns Hopkins Medicine said. There is no vaccine to prevent a cold.
What’s the difference between a cold and the flu?
The common cold is an infection of the nose and throat. Symptoms include runny nose, cough, sore throat, fatigue, watery eyes, headaches and sneezing.
The flu, or influenza, is a respiratory infection caused by a different virus. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue, cough and headaches.
Though symptoms of the illnesses are similar, key differences set them apart. The two illnesses develop at different rates, with colds often beginning slowly and the flu taking effect more quickly. Colds are typically a mild illness, while the flu can become severe and, in some cases, deadly.
What’s the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
The flu shares similarities with COVID-19, another respiratory illness, but some symptoms set them apart.
The two illnesses are both contagious and feature similar symptoms, according to the CDC. However, the flu is caused by the influenza virus, while COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus.
Flu symptoms may appear within one to four days of infection, while COVID-19 symptoms may appear up to 14 days after infection. COVID-19 can be contagious for longer than the flu and may include more severe complications.
Should I get a COVID vaccine?
Most physicians suggest vaccinations for their patients.
However, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced in May that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children or pregnant women. And in August, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration changed the labels on the vaccines, saying they should be given only to people older than 65 and to younger Americans with at least one preexisting health condition that puts them at high risk for severe disease with COVID-19.
However, in September, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a directive that instructs the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) and the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to:
- Identify, review, and remove other barriers to COVID-19 vaccine access.
- Ensure health insurance plans under the regulatory authority of MDHHS and DIFS — including Medicaid and health plans in the individual, small group and large group markets — cover COVID-19 vaccines.
- Issue clear, accessible guidance to pharmacists, health care providers, and to the public about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
- Issue guidance instructing pharmacists and other health care providers to encourage COVID-19 vaccines, as well as to prescribe and administer them.