--- title: The Best Time to Get the Flu Shot Is Earlier Than You Think description: The CDC recommends getting a flu shot by the end of October, before the 2018-2019 flu season begins. The flu shot can prevent influenza. canonical: https://time.com/5386037/flu-shot-october-2018/ author: Jamie Ducharme article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-09-04T15:40:46.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-13T07:53:03.635Z article:section: Health og:title: The Best Time to Get the Flu Shot Is Earlier Than You Think og:description: Before flu season is in full swing og:url: https://time.com/5386037/flu-shot-october-2018/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72d574357b555cac/6987789b3c1639079745105c/health-syringe-needle-6.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: TIME.com stock photos Health Syringe Needle og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Best Time to Get the Flu Shot Is Earlier Than You Think twitter:description: Before flu season is in full swing twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72d574357b555cac/6987789b3c1639079745105c/health-syringe-needle-6.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 01:29 video:published: 2017-11-20 section: health topics: flu symptoms, sinus relief, neti pot, cold and cough relief, Vicks Vaporizer, herbal tea, immune support, chicken noodle soup, heated blanket, budget health products genre: product roundup, consumer advice tones: reassuring, upbeat, practical, casual emotions: reassurance (medium), comfort (medium), empathy (low) sentiment: positive audience: people with cold or flu symptoms, budget-conscious shoppers, health product buyers, caregivers organizations: GEICO products: neti pot, Vicks Vaporizer, herbal tea, chicken noodle soup, heated blanket transcript_source: automatic transcription transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # The Best Time to Get the Flu Shot Is Earlier Than You Think > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=9a68fffb-be46-49bb-983b-d9e3a5e475b4&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: 5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30 [Watch (HLS stream): 5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/wcoliehG.m3u8) (1:29)  _Published 2017-11-20. 5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video presents five flu-fighting products, each priced under $30, to help viewers manage cold and flu symptoms. It covers a neti pot for sinus relief, a Vicks Vaporizer for cold and cough symptoms, herbal tea for sore throat and immune support, chicken noodle soup for cold symptoms, and a heated blanket for aches and cold sweats. The segment is presented by GEICO and closes with a reassurance that rest with these products will restore the viewer's health. ## Key points - Neti pots clear sinuses and prevent nasal irritation when filled with lukewarm water and a packet of sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate, priced at $14. (00:16) - A Vicks Vaporizer can help relieve cold and cough symptoms, and its device can be transformed into a medicine cup for use as an inhalant, for about $15. (00:29) - Herbal teas with green tea, elderberry, echinacea, or licorice root flavors are recommended to soothe sore throats and may help boost the immune system, for around $3. (00:41) - Adding a touch of honey to herbal tea provides extra soothing sweetness. (00:54) - Chicken noodle soup can alleviate cold symptoms, and a can costs around a dollar. (01:02) - A heated blanket with three heat settings can be added to a closet to prepare for aches and cold sweats, for under $30. (01:09) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:16] Introduction to flu-fighting products. The video opens by describing flu symptoms and introducing five products under $30. - [00:16 to 00:29] Neti pot for sinus relief. The neti pot is presented as a way to clear sinuses, with instructions and its price. - [00:29 to 00:41] Vicks Vaporizer for cold symptoms. The Vicks Vaporizer is described as relieving cold and cough symptoms, with its price. - [00:41 to 01:02] Herbal tea and soup remedies. Herbal teas for sore throat and immune support are covered, followed by chicken noodle soup as a traditional remedy. - [01:02 to 01:09] Soup for cold relief. Chicken noodle soup is recommended for alleviating cold symptoms at a low cost. - [01:09 to 01:29] Heated blanket and closing. A heated blanket is recommended for aches and cold sweats, and the video closes with a note on rest and recovery. ## Key quotes - [00:00] narrator: "Are you feeling achy, tired, and stuffed up? You may have the flu." - [00:16] narrator: "Neti pots clear your sinuses and prevent nasal irritation." - [00:29] narrator: "Adding a Vicks Vaporizer to your room will help relieve cold and cough symptoms." - [00:44] narrator: "All natural ingredients may also help to boost your immune system." - [01:02] narrator: "Well, it can actually alleviate cold symptoms." ## Questions this video answers - What products are recommended for flu symptoms in this video? [00:00] - How does a neti pot help clear sinuses? [00:16] - What can a Vicks Vaporizer do for cold and cough symptoms? [00:29] - Which herbal tea flavors are recommended for a sore throat? [00:41] - How can a heated blanket help with aches and cold sweats? [01:09]  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Sep 4, 2018 3:40 PM UTC 5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Sep 4, 2018 3:40 PM UTC It’s technically still summer, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it’s already time to think about flu season 2018-2019. All adults and children older than six months should get a flu vaccine by the end of October 2018, [the CDC says](https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season-2018-2019.htm). (The American Academy of Pediatrics recently [made a similar recommendation](http://www.aappublications.org/news/2018/09/03/flu090318).) While the shot is still effective for those who get it later in the fall or winter, getting vaccinated before flu season is in full swing offers the best protection, the CDC says. While the flu shot is not perfect — during last year’s [brutal flu season](http://time.com/5105929/why-is-the-flu-so-bad-2018/), it was [only about 36% effective](http://time.com/5160213/flu-shot-effectiveness-2018/) — the CDC still recommends getting one, since they can reduce the chances of getting and spreading the flu and the severity of any illnesses that do occur. The flu shot also tends to be more effective in children. The vaccine has also been tweaked for the upcoming flu season in hopes of targeting the viruses that are likely to circulate this year, according to the CDC. Both standard vaccines and [nasal sprays](http://time.com/5170514/flumist-nasal-spray-flu-vaccine/) are recommended for the 2018-2019 flu season. The CDC’s vaccine reminder comes after a particularly intense flu season, which sent more than 30,000 people to the hospital and killed [180 children](http://time.com/5301749/pediatric-deaths-flu-season/) — the highest number recorded in any non-pandemic year since 2004, when the CDC began tracking pediatric deaths. While the CDC can’t predict what this year’s flu season will be like, it recommends vaccination as a preventive measure. Once flu season begins, people can also reduce the spread of illness by washing their hands frequently, staying home from school or work if they get sick and taking antiviral drugs if they come down with influenza. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5386037/flu-shot-october-2018/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5386037/flu-shot-october-2018/"},"headline":"The Best Time to Get the Flu Shot Is Earlier Than You Think","datePublished":"2018-09-04T15:40:46.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-13T07:53:03.635Z","description":"Before flu season is in full swing","url":"https://time.com/5386037/flu-shot-october-2018/","keywords":["Public Health","onetime","healthytime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72d574357b555cac/6987789b3c1639079745105c/health-syringe-needle-6.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jamie Ducharme","jobTitle":"Ducharme is a contributor to TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72d574357b555cac/6987789b3c1639079745105c/health-syringe-needle-6.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"TIME.com stock photos Health Syringe Needle","caption":"TIME.com stock photos Health Syringe Needle","creditText":"Elizabeth Renstrom—TIME","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/public-health/","name":"Public Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5386037/flu-shot-october-2018/","name":"The Best Time to Get the Flu Shot Is Earlier Than You Think"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30","description":"5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/wcoliehG/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2017-11-20T22:09:45.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/wcoliehG.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5386037/flu-shot-october-2018/","duration":"PT1M29S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5386037/flu-shot-october-2018/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```