Health Officials Urge Americans To Get Flu Shot Now

Health officials are urging all Americans over six months old to get a flu shot now as flu activity is expected to pick up by next month. It takes about two weeks for the maximum protection to develop.

Last season nearly 80,000 Americans died from the virus – the highest number since modern tracking began. The CDC director, Dr. Robert Redfield, told "CBS This Morning" that concerns about a flu pandemic keep him up at night.

Dr. Jonathan LaPook joined "CBS This Morning" to talk about the importance of the flu shot and to administer some to our very own Norah O'Donnell and Gayle King.  

In terms of efficacy, it varies from year to year but, more importantly, it's better than nothing.

"Even if you go on and get the flu, it sometimes is able to attenuate to weaken the amount of flu that you get," LaPook said.  

Vaccination is especially important for those at high risk of serious complications from the flu, including children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, pregnant women, residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, and people with chronic medical conditions.