Hamilton County residents should get their flu shots before Halloween, before cases spike and holiday gatherings begin, Hamilton County Public Health’s medical director said.

Residents in Evendale, Woodlawn, Sharonville and Springdale are served by Hamilton County Public Health, which issued the warning. Dr. Stephen Feagins, the agency's director, said the flu vaccine takes two weeks to build protective antibodies, making October a key time to get vaccinated, according to WLWT. Flu cases are rising across Ohio and 47 other states, per CDC data, and respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) are also trending upward.

Last season hit hard. Feagins told WLWT it brought the largest flu surge in Hamilton County in five years, pushing local hospitals to capacity. Axios Cincinnati reported that Greater Cincinnati recorded nearly twice as many flu-related hospitalizations last season as in 2024-25, per the Cincinnati Health Department.

Feagins attributed last year's surge to new virus strains. This year's vaccine has been updated to address the latest circulating strains, he said.

"So if you didn't have enough reason to get a flu vaccine this year, the fact that all three have had to be updated because we've had changes in the circulating influenza, that's even more of a reason," Feagins told WLWT.

In a separate fall advisory, Hamilton County Public Health recommended residents also get updated COVID-19 and RSV vaccinations. The agency said all three shots can be given during the same visit.

Health officials are also monitoring norovirus. Beyond vaccines, they recommend frequent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, staying home when sick and circulating fresh air indoors.

Shanna Wentz, a CVS pharmacist and district leader in the Cincinnati-Dayton region, told Axios she is seeing some "vaccine fatigue," including people who assume last year's shot still protects them. Protection from flu vaccination wanes over time, and vaccine formulations are reviewed annually to better match expected circulating strains.

Flu shots are recommended for nearly everyone 6 months and older. They are available at most pharmacies, and Hamilton County Public Health's clinic at 5050 Section Ave. in Cincinnati is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The clinic phone number is (513) 946-7610.