Some retail drugstores have been promoting their 2010 flu vaccine since August. Getting vaccinated for the flu in the summer is a strange concept for many people. I think most people in my area, this summer, ignored the advertisements. Others have wondered whether they should get the flu shot this early out of concern that it may not last long enough. Some of my patients have asked if they will need to get vaccinated for H1N1 this year if they had the vaccine last fall or winter.

Here are some...