The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched a new way for Americans to look up how high or low levels of viruses like COVID-19 and flu are in their local area for 2024.

Respiratory virus season has arrived in the United States and health officials say that October is a prime time to get vaccinated.

Colder weather brings a change in seasons and often an uptick in flu and COVID-19 cases. The viruses that cause COVID-19 and flu keep changing and infecting thousands of people each year, with older adults being most at risk.

“Right now is the best time” to get all the recommended fall vaccinations, said Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as she got her flu shot Wednesday. She has an appointment for her COVID-19 shot, too. It’s “the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself, your family, your community.”

Early estimates on the effectiveness of this year’s flu vaccines indicate they may be less effective at preventing hospitalization than in years past, based on data from South America, where

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"The vaccines have arrived. And so if you if you do one thing this week or this weekend, try to take a minute to schedule time to go get you and your family, your vaccines," Shah said.