Fall is here—that means it’s decorative gourd season and also flu shot season.

Have you gotten your flu shot yet, or made an appointment to do so? Sara Rubin here, pleased to say I’ve already checked that box (earlier than I usually do, so I could meet a friend’s 2-month-old baby who’s still too young for vaccines—he’s also very cute). 

It was a reminder to me of why we should get vaccinated: It’s much less about protecting ourselves from illness, although that’s an added bonus, but the real point is to protect others who for a variety of reasons are at higher risk of illness. (Maybe they’re little babies, or are on chemotherapy. The list is varied. People at high risk of severe illness from Covid-19 include people with asthma, who are diabetic, who are pregnant and more.)

“It’s not too hard to find someone with risk factors for severe disease from Covid-19,” says Kristy Michie, assistant director of public health for the County of Monterey. “There are two reasons to get vaccinated: to protect your own health and to protect people you interact with. They are both equally important.”

The good news for people who do want to get vaccinated is that California has stepped up with legislation this year, Assembly Bill 144, requiring insurers to cover the cost of vaccines recommended by the California Department of Public Health. That means instead of an over-the-counter cost generally in the $200-$250 range you might see in other states, anyone with any insurance plan that is regulated in the state of California is entitled to free flu shots and Covid shots. (Here’s a full list of the vaccinations that CDPH recommends for various age groups.)

That new law does not help people who are uninsured, but the County of Monterey Health Department is offering a number of free flu shot clinics. Upcoming dates include 10am-1pm on Saturday, Oct. 18 in Greenfield; 4-7pm Monday, Oct. 20 in Salinas; 11am-2pm Wednesday, Oct. 22 at MPC; and 4-7pm Thursday, Oct. 30 in Carmel Valley, among others. Check the website for a complete schedule; these clinics are open to everyone at least 6 months old. 

Even for those who are not vaccinated or cannot be vaccinated, Michie suggested a “layering” approach to keeping healthy during cold/flu/RSV season. The things we learned from the pandemic—unfortunately things that were politically weaponized, but are actually rooted in basic biological research—make a difference. Stay home if you feel sick, wear a mask if you are around others and wash your hands. 

And vaccines do make a difference—for you and, I’d argue more importantly, for other people. You can protect the stranger in the post office or the grocery store by getting vaccinated (for free!) and rest easy knowing that you did your part to help save lives this winter.

I hope you stay healthy this season.