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Flu season is here and fewer people are getting the flu shot. SingleCare conducted its annual flu shot survey to find out how many people are getting the flu vaccine this year, why some people are skipping the flu shot, and what Americans expect from the 2021-2022 flu season. We surveyed 1,000 Americans to track these flu shot trends. We asked respondents about flu shot side effects, health insurance coverage of the flu shot, and whether Americans are interested in influenza/coronavirus combo vaccines. Here’s what we found.
Summary of survey results:
- 55% have already gotten or plan to get a flu vaccine this year.
- 56% of respondents with children have already gotten or plan to get their children vaccinated this year.
- 48% typically get the flu vaccine.
- 44% got the flu vaccine last year.
- 34% believe the flu vaccine is not effective.
- 46% are concerned about flu shot side effects.
- 57% reported having a reaction to any vaccine in the past.
- 88% report their health insurance covers the full cost of the flu vaccine.
- 18% expect this year’s flu season to be worse than last year.
- 15% believe the flu vaccine will prevent COVID-19.
- 48% are interested in an influenza/coronavirus combination shot.
55% have already gotten or plan to get a flu vaccine this year
Our survey found that 55% of respondents are planning to get their annual flu vaccination this year or have already gotten vaccinated; however, this is down 3% from last year.
- 19% have already gotten the flu vaccine this year
- 18% have already gotten the flu shot
- 1% have already gotten the nasal flu vaccine
- 36% plan to get the flu vaccine this year
- 33% plan to get the flu shot this year
- 3% plan to get the nasal flu vaccine this year
- 45% do not plan to get the flu vaccine this year
Flu vaccinations down 3% from 2020 |
||
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| Have already gotten the flu vaccine this year | 19% | 13% |
| Plan to get the flu vaccine this year | 36% | 45% |
| Do not plan to get the flu vaccine this year | 45% | 42% |
56% of respondents with children have already gotten or plan to get their children vaccinated this year
More than half of survey respondents with children reportedly have gotten or plan to get their children vaccinated against influenza this year. This is 4% less than what was reported in our 2020 flu shot survey.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends everyone 6 months of age or older get an annual influenza vaccine, including pregnant women, seniors, and people of all age groups with chronic disease. If the location or office hours of your child’s pediatrician are inconvenient and prevents you from vaccinating your children, the United States Department of Health and Human Services has authorized pharmacists to administer child vaccinations as of 2020.
48% typically get the flu vaccine
Less than half of respondents reported they typically get the flu vaccine. This is a 4% difference from last year’s survey, which found that 52% of respondents typically get the flu vaccine. Fortunately, this is still higher than the herd immunity threshold for influenza, which is 33% to 44% but not by much. Herd immunity (or community protection against infectious disease) is created when a large percentage of the population is vaccinated. In short, the more people who are immunized the better protected the population is as the spread of the disease slows or stops.
44% got a flu vaccine last year
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that influenza vaccination coverage among U.S. adults was 50% in 2020-2021—a 2% increase compared to the previous flu season. This year’s flu shot survey showed a decrease in 2020-2021 vaccination rates compared to last year’s survey:
Who in your household got the flu vaccine last year? |
||
|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 flu season | 2019-2020 flu season | |
| Me | 44% | 47% |
| My spouse/partner | 26% | 29% |
| My children | 13% | 17% |
| My housemates | 10% | 9% |
| No one in my household | 41% | 38% |
* Respondents were able to choose more than one answer choice.
More than a third believe the flu vaccine is not effective
Last year’s survey results indicated that those who do not get vaccinated might doubt the flu vaccine’s efficacy. However, the rate of people who believe that the flu vaccine is ineffective is down from last year.
Do you believe the flu vaccine is effective in preventing the flu? |
||
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| Effective | 66% | 62% |
| Not effective | 34% | 38% |
Have you gotten the flu in the same year you got a flu vaccine? |
||
| Yes | 21% | 25% |
| No | 79% | 75% |
The CDC estimates that the flu vaccine decreases the risk of the flu by 40% to 60%. Serious flu shot-related complications are rare, only one to two in 1 million doses result in an allergic reaction to a vaccine, and vaccination-related deaths are about 1 in a million.
“There are a variety of other benefits to getting the vaccine, including making the flu a less severe illness if you get the flu after the shot versus getting the flu without a shot. Also, vaccinated people are less likely to suffer a complication or end up in the hospital if they do get the flu,” says Corey Fish, MD, a pediatrician and chief medical officer at Brave Care in Portland, Oregon.
RELATED: Immunization and vaccination statistics
Fewer people are concerned about flu shot side effects this year
The number of people who are reportedly concerned about flu shot side effects is also down from last year’s survey (46% in 2021 versus 48% in 2020).
Which flu shot side effects are you concerned about? |
||
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| I’m not concerned about side effects | 54% | 52% |
| Muscle aches | 22% | 24% |
| Fever | 20% | 22% |
| Headache | 18% | 17% |
| Nausea | 17% | 16% |
| Allergic reaction | 15% | 18% |
| Weakness | 15% | 15% |
| Injection site irritation | 13% | 15% |
| Difficulty breathing | 12% | 11% |
| Fast heartbeat | 10% | 10% |
| Fainting | 8% | 8% |
| Hoarseness/wheezing | 7% | 6% |
| Guillain-Barré syndrome | 6% | 6% |
| Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) | 5% | 5% |
| Other concerns | 6% | 6% |
More respondents reported having flu shot reactions than last year
“The most common side effects of the flu vaccine are soreness, redness, and swelling at the shot site, as well as fever, achy muscles, and mild headache,” says Dr. Fish. “These symptoms are mild and are best alleviated with either a cool compress at the vaccine site or some ibuprofen.” Dr. Fish notes that children should only take ibuprofen if they’re old enough.
We asked respondents to rate their reactions to side effects of flu vaccines. Although most respondents still reported having no reaction this year, more respondents reported having flu shot reactions than last year.
Have you experienced any of the following side effects to a flu vaccine in the past? |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | No reaction | Mild reaction | Moderate reaction | Severe reaction | |
| Injection site irritation | 2021 | 56% | 20% | 20% | 4% |
| 2020 | 65% | 24% | 8% | 3% | |
| Headache | 2021 | 65% | 14% | 16% | 5% |
| 2020 | 78% | 13% | 6% | 3% | |
| Fever | 2021 | 66% | 13% | 16% | 5% |
| 2020 | 77% | 13% | 7% | 3% | |
| Nausea | 2021 | 72% | 11% | 13% | 4% |
| 2020 | 81% | 10% | 6% | 3% | |
| Muscle aches/weakness | 2021 | 54% | 18% | 22% | 6% |
| 2020 | 65% | 21% | 10% | 4% | |
| Fainting | 2021 | 84% | 7% | 7% | 2% |
| 2020 | 91% | 4% | 3% | 2% | |
| Difficulty breathing | 2021 | 83% | 7% | 8% | 2% |
| 2020 | 90% | 5% | 3% | 2% | |
| Allergic reaction | 2021 | 82% | 8% | 7% | 3% |
| 2020 | 88% | 5% | 4% | 3% | |
| Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) | 2021 | 85% | 6% | 7% | 2% |
| 2020 | 91% | 4% | 3% | 2% | |
| Guillain-Barré syndrome | 2021 | 88% | 5% | 5% | 2% |
| 2020 | 94% | 3% | 1% | 2% |
Additionally, more respondents reported experiencing a side effect or reaction to any vaccine in the past:
Have you experienced a reaction to any vaccine in the past? |
||
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| No reaction | 43% | 59% |
| Mild reaction | 38% | 27% |
| Moderate reaction | 15% | 12% |
| Severe reaction | 4% | 2% |
88% report their health insurance covers the full cost of the flu vaccine
Without insurance, the flu shot can cost more than $50. However, most survey respondents reported that their health insurance plan at least partially covered the flu vaccine. Of those who got a flu vaccine:
How did you pay for your flu vaccine? |
||
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| It was completely covered by health insurance | 88% | 84% |
| It was partially covered by health insurance | 4% | 9% |
| I paid full price | 6% | 5% |
| I used a prescription discount card | 2% | 2% |
RELATED: How do I get a discounted or free flu shot?
18% expect this year’s flu season to be worse than last year
The 2020-2021 flu season was better than usual, according to the CDC, which could be due to COVID-19 preventive measures and the record number of flu vaccines that were distributed in the U.S. We asked survey takers what they are expecting from the 2021-2022 flu season:
- 18% think it will be worse than last year
- 37% think it will be the same as usual
- 11% think it will be better than last year
- 34% do not know what to expect
Two new studies have predicted that the 2021-2022 flu season will be worse than last year; however, public health officials explain that a bad flu season could be avoided if flu vaccination rates increase by 20% to 50% than a typical year.
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases estimates that 31% of adults aged 50 to 64 years old and 47% of adults aged 65 years or older live with at least one chronic health condition. It advises healthcare providers to insist upon annual flu vaccination particularly in these populations to minimize flu-related complications, hospitalizations, and deaths.
15% believe the flu vaccine will prevent COVID-19
Our 2020 flu shot survey found that 16% of respondents believed the flu vaccine would help prevent COVID-19. A year later and after the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, about the same amount of respondents (15%) still believe the flu vaccine can prevent COVID-19. Of those who believe the flu vaccine will prevent COVID-19, 20% are already fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and planning to get a COVID booster shot this fall/winter.
Although the flu shot will not prevent COVID-19, it will prevent influenza, which can weaken the immune system and potentially make someone more susceptible to contracting coronavirus or developing coronavirus complications.
“[The] flu shot helps prevent [the] flu only,” says Dr. Fish. “COVID-19 is not the flu, and we wouldn’t expect the flu shot to prevent COVID-19 any more than we would expect the tetanus shot to prevent pneumonia. However, if you get COVID-19 and influenza, it’s reasonable to think that this would be worse or make you sicker than COVID-19 alone. Therefore, doing everything we can to prevent other illnesses with vaccines will help minimize the risk of secondary infections or tandem infections with COVID-19.”
65% are fully vaccinated against COVID-19
The majority of survey respondents reported that they were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of this survey (September 30, 2021). An additional 9% were partially vaccinated or planning to be vaccinated by the end of this year for a total of 74%.
- 51% are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and plan to get a booster shot this fall/winter
- 14% are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 but do not plan to get a booster shot this fall/winter
- 3% are partially vaccinated against COVID-19
- 6% plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine(s) this year but have not done so yet
- 26% do not plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine(s) this year
RELATED: Who is eligible for COVID booster shots?
48% are interested in an influenza/coronavirus combination shot
Influenza/coronavirus combination shots are now in research and development. Moderna and Novavax have announced plans for developing these combo vaccines. We asked this year’s survey respondents whether they’d be interested in getting a combination shot if one becomes available.
- 48% are interested in an influenza/coronavirus combination shot
- 52% are not interested in an influenza/coronavirus combination shot
Additionally, 5% of respondents who are not planning to get the COVID-19 vaccine this year reported that they would be interested in taking an influenza/coronavirus combination shot if one becomes available.
Our methodology:
SingleCare conducted a 2021 flu vaccine survey online through AYTM on Sep. 30, 2021. The 2020 flu vaccine survey was also conducted online through AYTM on Aug. 28, 2020. Although the 2021 and 2020 flu shot surveys were separate samples, both included 1,000+ U.S. adults aged 18+ years old and both were census-balanced to match the U.S. population in age, gender, and U.S. region.