Mandy Oaklander | October 05, 2026

Have you gotten your flu shot yet? If not, now is the time, my colleague Dominique Mosbergen wrote today: Flu season appears to have come early. Below, Dominique shares a shocking stat that just might convince you not to skip it this year.

TODAY’S TOPICS

Why “fringeships” matter
Got a question for us?
The best reason to get a flu shot
The case for taking off your headphones in public

QUICK CHAT

Treasure your “fringeships"

There are friends. There are acquaintances. And then there’s the barista you chat with regularly at the coffee shop, or the parent you see every afternoon at school pickup.

Social-relationships researcher Katherine Fiori has a name for these people: “fringeships.” You wouldn’t call them for a ride to the airport, but they might matter to your well-being more than you realize. Here’s a snippet from our recent conversation. —Angela Haupt, Editor, Health & Wellness

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Malte Mueller—Getty Images

What exactly is a “fringeship”?

It’s a type of weaker social tie that’s somewhere between an acquaintance and a close friend. Maybe it’s somebody you see at work every day or someone you regularly see in yoga class. You have a really good connection with them and look forward to seeing them, but they’re not necessarily part of your inner circle.

So what separates a fringeship from a regular acquaintance?

There’s some level of mutual recognition and genuine enjoyment. You see this person in a particular context, and they make you happy when you’re there. But you don't necessarily expect them to provide the kind of support you'd expect from someone very close to you.

Why do these relationships matter?

Social interactions are important for our health and well-being, and fringeships can give us some of that connection without requiring a huge investment of time or energy. You’re seeing the person somewhere you're already going, so you don't have to carve out an entirely separate part of your day for the relationship.

Do fringeships become especially useful as we get older?

They can. Older adults can have less time and energy to invest in relationships for all sorts of reasons, including health issues and medical appointments. A fringeship can be valuable because it doesn't demand a huge amount of either resource, but it still brings connection and enjoyment into your life.

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TODAY I LEARNED

Flu shots prevent thousands of deaths every year

bymuratdeniz—Getty Images

Flu vaccination is “our best bet” at preventing hospitalization and serious complications from the flu in both adults and children, Dr. Ashlesha Kaushik, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, told me in an interview for my new piece for TIME.

The CDC estimates that flu vaccination prevented 10 million flu-related illnesses and 12,000 total flu-related deaths in the U.S. during the 2024–2025 flu season. —D.M.

Is your company shaping the future?

TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2027 entries are now open.

Every year, TIME asks what it means for a company to be influential. Every year, the answer changes.

With expanded recognition opportunities to celebrate influence across industries, impact initiatives, and, for the first time, workplace innovation, there are more ways than ever to stand out.

Submit your company.

WHAT WE’RE READING

Meehika Barua stopped wearing headphones during her commute and started noticing her life again, she writes in TIME.
Imagine having 10 minutes to decide whether to raise a grandchild. Patrick Butler at the Guardian meets kinship caregivers whose lives changed with almost no warning.
Greg Iacurci at CNBC takes a look at why health insurance premiums are poised to jump in 2027.