The Flu Season Is Coming. Here’s Where You Can Get Vaccinated In the US

In the United States, flu activity tends to start rising in October, and usually peaks in February. This is because viruses generally survive better outside the body when it’s cold. This applies to seasonal coronaviruses just as it does to influenza, so there’s a good chance we may see a rise in COVID-19 cases over the winter.

To avoid a ‘double whammy’ of COVID-19 and a bad flu season, it’s especially important to get the seasonal flu vaccine this year, and the CDC recommends that everyone over 6 months get a flu vaccine. Here’s how you can get yours if you live in the US, preferably with as little cost as possible.

VaccineFinder is a tool run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that will help you find a location near you where you can get vaccinated, while MedFinder is a similar tool for flu medication.

All marketplace insurance plans must cover the cost of the vaccine under the Affordable Care Act (thought there can be limitations on where free flu vaccines are administered). Flu shots are also free under Medicare and many other health plans. Many companies organise seasonal flu vaccination days for employees and their family members, often at no cost.

If none of these options are available, many retail chains and pharmacies offer the flu vaccine. Costco wins out in terms of price, as both members and non-members pay about $20 for a quadrivalent vaccine (protecting against the four most prevalent flu strains). Other options include Walmart, CSV/pharmacy and Meijer, all of which offer quadrivalent vaccines for around $40, while high dose vaccines for seniors will usually cost around $75.