The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has already sounded the alarm, telling everyone that getting a flu shot is more important than ever to help reduce the strain on healthcare systems still responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC is recommending that people get inoculated by the end of October. “By getting vaccinated for flu, you’re also protecting your loved ones and those around you by lessening the amount of flu that’s spread in the community,” says Alan Taege, MD, an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “This is especially important as we are continuing to see community spread and hospitalizations for COVID-19.” Many sites can administer both flu and COVID-19 shots (including boosters), and the CDC assures the public that there are currently no safety concerns about receiving both types at the same time. “COVID-19 vaccines may be administered without regard to timing of other vaccines,” writes the health agency. “This includes simultaneous administration of COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines on the same day.” RELATED: Get a Flu Shot Now or Wait? “I think most places meet the standards of storing, documenting, and administering the flu shot correctly,” says Dr. Safdar. “So you’re getting the same quality protection, no matter where you get the shot.” Note that all locations that administer the flu vaccine this year are using quadrivalent (four component) formulas rather than offering a trivalent option. This means the vaccine is designed to protect against four different flu viruses (two prevalent type A and two type B viruses). Here are a few factors to keep in mind when deciding which location suits you best.
Doctor’s Office
If patients want answers to in-depth questions about side effects or other aspects of the inoculation, they may want to get the vaccination from their doctor, says Safdar.
Urgent Care Center
Safdar notes that urgent care centers may be more crowded than other locations, so they potentially pose more of a risk for catching another illness. “You probably don’t want to be in a waiting room for too long, no matter where you go,” says Safdar. “I think urgent care is a little bit less attractive for a flu shot.”
Pharmacy
Barry Bloom, MD, a professor of public health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, gets his flu shot at a pharmacy. “It is quicker and doesn’t take time from my doctor to see more medical patients,” he says. Pharmacies like Costco and CVS can be convenient because they offer walk-in treatment and the ability to schedule an appointment online. Families may also opt to go to a pharmacy because parents and kids can get vaccinated together. As part of a 2020 directive by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), state-licensed pharmacists are now permitted to administer the flu vaccine to kids as young as 3 years old. Last year, roughly 54 percent of Americans who got a flu shot got it at a drugstore, an over 50 percent jump from the year before, according to the CDC. RELATED: Should You Get Vaccinated at a Pharmacy?
Workplace Clinic
Some businesses host on-site clinics to administer flu shots, which can be a good choice for workers with busy schedules. Of course, pandemic-related office shutdowns may limit availability.
Other Options
Schools, supermarkets, and hospital clinics are all possibilities as well. If you’re having trouble pinpointing where to go in your area, you can use Vaccines.gov, which identifies sites that give flu shots by your ZIP code. RELATED: 7 Flu Shot Myths You Should Stop Believing This higher-dose version contains four times the antigen, the part of the vaccine that helps your body build up protection against flu viruses. Another recommended formulation for those over 65 is called Fluad Quadrivalent. It offers an additional ingredient that boosts the vaccine response. There is no need to go to a special healthcare provider to receive this type of immunization, but you may want to call first before heading out to make sure the place you’ve selected has an adequate supply. A nasal spray version of the vaccine, FluMist Quadrivalent, may be available at certain doctor’s offices, healthcare clinics, and pharmacies. The CDC limits the use of nasal spray immunizations to healthy individuals ages 2 through 49 who are not pregnant. People who are immunocompromised or have certain chronic medical conditions should not receive the nasal spray flu vaccine.
Check What COVID-19 Protections Are in Place
During the COVID-19 pandemic, sites administering the flu vaccine have been taking extra safety precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Dr. Taege notes that the Cleveland Clinic screens patients and personnel for COVID-19, offers appropriately distanced seating in common areas, disinfects rooms frequently, and provides medical staff with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Many pharmacies have established protocols to limit the risk of virus spread as well. Kaleigh Massee, PharmD, a district leader with CVS Pharmacy in Atlanta, tells Everyday Health that all CVS locations have implemented guidelines in accordance with the CDC to help ensure that customers — including seniors — feel safe during immunization. Protocols include reducing the number of touch points, requiring staff and customers to wear face coverings, and encouraging the public to make vaccination appointments online or via app or text. RELATED: Is It a Cold, the Flu, or COVID-19?
Can You Get a Free Flu Shot?
Your health insurance plan may be a determining factor in where you get your flu shot. Under the Affordable Care Act, health insurers are required to cover flu and other vaccines without charging a copayment or coinsurance, according to the HHS. “But be sure to check with your insurance company to find out if you must go to a specific facility to receive the vaccine. Some insurance plans only cover vaccines given by your doctor or at a limited set of locations,” writes the HHS. “Many health insurance companies provide free-of-cost coverage of flu vaccines, since when they protect, they save very high costs of hospitalization,” says Dr. Bloom. “That’s a good deal for everyone.” If you must pay out of pocket, shots can range in cost from $19.99 at Costco to $40 at Walgreens.
Demand May Be High, but Supplies Are On Hand
No shortages or delays in flu vaccine shipments are expected for the 2021–2022 flu season. But the CDC cautions that “in some places, robust demand for vaccine and supplies required to support flu vaccination efforts, like needles or syringes, may mean that some providers run out of vaccine or other supplies before their next shipment has arrived.” With this possibility in mind, the public is advised to double check with their site of choice to make sure product is in stock. “Last year, we administered double the number of flu shots we had the previous year,” says CVS’s Massee. “This year, we expect a similar volume of flu vaccinations throughout flu season and have taken proactive measures to secure access to flu shots for patients. We have ample supply of vaccine on hand and do not anticipate widespread shortages for the months when demand for the flu shot is at its peak.”
