No appointment required.

No.  Spouses and caregivers will not be able to receive a flu shot at the facility or the CBOCs.

On the day of the clinic, we ask that you please wear a loose-fitting short sleeve shirt (or tank top), as you will need to roll up your sleeve.

Starting Sept. 1, 2022

No appointment or referral is required.  However, recommend calling ahead to make sure they offer the flu vaccine you want.

Call (800) 698-2411, selected option 1, then option 3, and then option 1 again.

• Veterans can get a flu shot without prior authorization.
• Family members and beneficiaries are not eligible.
• Individuals who are not eligible and receive a flu vaccine may be liable for the cost of the vaccine.

Yes, there are two options:

Option 1:  Go to www.VA.gov/find-locations

• Enter city, state or postal code
• Under Facility type, select:
• “Urgent care” OR “Community pharmacies (in VA’s network)
• If you select “Urgent Care”, choose “In-network community urgent care”.
• Click Search and select provider

Option 2: 

• Call (877) 881-7618 for help locating an in-network provider

• Call ahead to make sure they offer the flu vaccine.
• Print and bring Billing Information (www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/docs/programs/OCC-Billing-Information-Card.pdf) to take with you or have viewable on mobile device.

When you arrive:

• Tell them you’re a Veteran enrolled in VA health care, AND
• You would like to get a flu shot, paid for by VA.
• Show your government-issued ID and Billing Information

Call the Office of Community Care National Contact Center at (877) 881-7618 for assistance.

No.  There is no copayment charge if Veteran’s visit consists only of a flu shot.  Flu shot-only visits do not count towards visits and/or copayments associated with using VA’s urgent care benefit.

Yes, you should tell the in-network community care staff that you are an eligible Veteran who is enrolled with the VA and show a government-issued identification (e.g., Veterans Health Identification Card or driver’s license).

Yes.  The Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines (like the flu shot) may be given together.  If you receive more than one vaccine at a single visit, the vaccines will be given in different arms.  Protect yourself and others, get vaccinated.  For more information, please review the CDC website “Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United States”.   Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC.

Flu is a contagious virus that spreads around the United States every year, usually between October and May.  Anyone can get the flu, but it is more dangerous for some people.  Infants and young children, people 65 years and older, pregnant people, and people with certain health conditions or a weakened immune system are at greatest risk of flu complications.  If you have a medical condition, such as heart disease, cancer, or diabetes, flu can make it worse.

In an average year, thousands of people in the United States die from flu, and many more are hospitalized.  Flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related visits to the doctor each year.  Even when the vaccine doesn’t exactly match these viruses, it may still provide some protection.

Get a flu shot in the fall as soon as it’s available, so you are protected the entire flu season.  You will need to get a new flu shot very year to protect yourself from the flu viruses circulating this season.

After you get a flu shot, it takes about 2 weeks for your body to make enough antibodies to protect you against flu.  Antibodies are proteins produced by your immune system that identify and help remove foreign targets such as viruses and bacteria.  The flu shot helps your body build these antibodies to fight flu viruses and prevent you from getting sick.

No.  this is a common misconception.  You cannot get the flu from a flu shot because only inactive (dead) flu virus is used to make the flu shot.  If you get the flu soon after getting a flu shot this could mean:

• You were exposed to the flu virus before the flu shot took effect.
• You have a weak immune system or other illness that causes your body to take longer to make antibodies and build immunity.
• Your body fails to make antibodies after getting a flu shot.
• The flu shot does not match all the flu viruses that are currently spreading.
• The flu shot does reduce but does not eliminate the risk of acquiring the flu, the main purpose of the flu shot is that it greatly reduces the chance of a severe complication from the flu.

Flu viruses can change over time, so every year the flu shot vaccine is updated to protect against the flu viruses most likely to spread that year.  The viruses may change after the flu shot is made.  Even if this happens, you will still get some protection from the flu shot.

Most side effects are milt to moderate and are temporary.  The most common side effects are soreness, redness, and swelling where the shot is given, fever, muscle aches, and headache can happen after influenza vaccination.  

Yes.  If you receive a flu shot outside the VA, please ask for a copy of your vaccination record.   Please telephone your Primary Care Clinic and provide them with the name of the pharmacy or provider and the date (month and year) you received a flu shot.  You can also send a Secure Message via MyHealtheVet and provide the same information.