Rite Aid Flu Shot For Seniors

Where Can I Get Free Flu Shots Near Me

Rite Aid announces seasonal flu vaccine available statewide

Its best to get a flu shot before the end of October. It can still be beneficial to receive later in the season, but you have a higher chance of being exposed before the shot can become effective. In other words, dont wait too long! Check the list below, and go get one ASAP to avoid getting sick. You can also use Vaccine Finder to locate a pharmacy, healthcare provider, health department, or clinic offering the flu shot near you.

Who Should Get The Vaccine

Everyone over the age of 6 months should get a flu vaccine. Certain groups are strongly urged to get a vaccine as they are at a higher risk of complications or even death if they come down with the flu, says the CDC. These include people 65 years and over as well as people who are at a higher risk of complications such as those with asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. Pregnant women and children under 5 also fall into this category.

If you know youre allergic to eggs or another possible ingredient in a flu vaccine, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before getting the vaccine. The same goes for people who have had Guillain-Barré syndrome and anyone who thinks they are currently sick.

A Flu Vaccine Is The Best Protection Against Flu

Flu vaccination has many benefits. It has been shown to reduce flu illnesses and also to reduce the risk of more serious flu outcomes that can result in hospitalization or even death in older people. Flu vaccination has been shown in several studies to reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick.

The best way to protect against flu and its potentially serious complications is with a flu vaccine. CDC recommends that almost everyone 6 months and older get a seasonal flu vaccine each year, ideally by the end of October. However, as long as flu viruses are circulating, vaccination should continue throughout flu season, even into January or later.

Flu vaccination is especially important for people 65 years and older because they are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications. Flu vaccines are updated each season to keep up with changing viruses. Also, immunity wanes over a year so annual vaccination is needed to ensure the best possible protection against flu. Because immunity may decrease more quickly in older people, it is especially important that this group is not vaccinated too early . September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated for people 65 years and older.

Also Check: When Do I Need A Flu Shot

People At High Risk From The Flu

Anyone can get sick , and serious problems related to flu can happenat any age, but some people are at high risk of developing serious complications if theyget sick. People at high risk of flu complications include:

People 65 & Older

People with Chronic Health Conditions

People living in long term care or nursing homes

How Much Does A Flu Shot Cost Without Insurance In 2021

What a Flu Shot Will Cost You at These 6 Stores

The out-of-pocket cost for a flu shot is between $20 and $70. However, the price will vary depending on what kind of flu vaccine you receive. Most insurance companies will cover your flu shot at several pharmacies or urgent care facilities.

There are several types of flu shots that you may be able to get this year. The most common types of flu shots are the quadrivalent flu vaccine and the high-dose flu vaccine.

The quadrivalent flu vaccine protects against four different flu viruses.
The high-dose flu vaccine can be given to adults over 65 to create a more robust immune response and protection against flu viruses.

Healthcare can be expensive, whether you have insurance or not. Mira offers healthcare for just $45 per month and includes affordable virtual care services, urgent care visits, low-cost lab testing, and discounted prescriptions. and get started.

Where To Get A Free Flu Shot Right Nowwith Or Without Insurance

Quick question: Have you gotten your flu shot yet? If your answer is “yes,” good for you carry on. If your answer is “no,” what are you waiting for?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone age six months and older should get a flu shot before the end of October. That’s because flu activity for the season typically begins in October and starts to peak in Decemberand it takes several weeks to develop full immunity from the shot.

Once you get that flu shot, it’ll last you about six months, Vanessa Raabe, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist at NYU Langone Health, previously told Healthwhich means the flu shot you got last year most definitely won’t give you any protection for this year’s flu season. Plus, the flu vaccine changes from year to year as scientists try to predict which strains of the virus will be dominant. So last year’s shot wouldn’t protect you as well as this year’s anyway.

While you can technically still get the flu shot well into flu season , it’s still wise to get it ASAPespecially when, for most people, it takes less than a minute of your time, and can be totally free. That’s right: With most health insurance, a flu vaccine costs exactly zero bucks.

Which Flu Vaccines Are Given At Walgreens

The flu shots available at Walgreens

quadrivalent flu vaccines
high dose flu vaccines designed to produce an enhanced immune system response for seniors over 65 years

Dont forget that you need to take your Medicare insurance information, a photo ID to your appointment.

To speed you appointment time up complete the assessment/consent form, in advance, and which you can download and print out here.

You can find the form on the Walgreens website here.

Recommended Reading: High Dose Flu Vaccine Recommendations

When Is The Best Time To Get A Flu Vaccine

The North American flu season typically begins in October, peaking between December or February though it can last longer. The best time to get a flu vaccine is early fall, according to the CDC. That time has already passed for the 2020-2021 season, but its not too late.

It takes two weeks for the vaccine to become fully effective so now is still a good time for a flu vaccine.

Is The Vaccine Safe

Getting A Flu Shot Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

People have been getting the flu vaccine for half a century and it rarely produces a serious reaction.

Any vaccination has some side effects but its so rare the benefit clearly outweighs the risk, says Dr. Strange. Some minor side effects include a sore arm, the sniffles, and a low fever, but you cannot get the flu from the vaccine, he emphasizes. The proteins used in the vaccine may result in some local inflammatory response but nothing like the flu, he says.

Any stories you may have heard about the vaccine causing the flu or autism are just flu myths.

Some people are allergic to ingredients in the vaccine, like eggs, but only 20 percent of todays flu vaccines are grown in eggs, according to the CDC. Long ago, there were reports after flu shots of Guillain-Barré syndrome , but that has not been proven.

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Rite Aid Now Offering Flu Vaccines At All Stores With Added Online Scheduling Similar To Covid

Rite Aid will be offering flu vaccines at all locations starting on Aug. 12, with additional options for online scheduling.

The Camp Hill-based pharmacy chain announced via press release that the flu vaccine will be available both via walk-in appointments as well as through an expanded online scheduling tool, which was originally put in place for scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations.

According to the press release, the flu vaccines offered by Rite Aid this year are as follows:

Quadrivalent flu vaccine, which provides protection against four strains of the flu: the influenza A H3N2 virus, the influenza A H1N1 virus and two strains of influenza B virus
FLUAD, a quadrivalent vaccine with adjuvant, an ingredient that helps create a stronger immune response to vaccination, approved for people 65 and older
Fluzone HD, a high-dose quadrivalent vaccine indicated for patients 65 and older

Rite Aid customers who wish to schedule a vaccination may go online to the Rite Aid pharmacy scheduler to make an appointment for flu, COVID-19 or other vaccinations.

Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.

Here’s What To Know Before You Go

Putting off getting your flu shot or other vaccines because you don’t have time for a doctor’s appointment? The next time you pick up a few things at the drugstore or grocery store, consider updating your vaccinations at the pharmacy.

Pharmacists are trained in immunization technique and are well versed in how to administer shots, according to Carmen Catizone, D.Ph., executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy .

“In fact, today, more patients are receiving their vaccinations from pharmacists than other healthcare providers,” says Catizone.

CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, and other chains and some independent pharmacies offer more than the flu shotthey typically also administer other immunizations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , including vaccines against pneumonia, polio, shingles, Tdap , and varicella .

In addition, many also offer travel immunizations for meningitis, typhoid, yellow fever, and other diseases.

An added perk: CVS, Walgreens, and other chains offer loyalty programs that earn you reward points towards discounts on other store purchases. Sign up online or at the pharmacy counter.

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Browse By Vaccine Pharmacy Or State

While vaccine eligibility is now open to all adults, it may still be difficult to understand how and where you can get vaccinated. Our resources below can help you find and request an appointment, as well as help you understand what to expect after you receive the vaccine.

Browse by vaccine brand:

Johnson & Johnson |Moderna |Pfizer

Browse by pharmacy:

Browse by state:

As we await emergency authorization of more vaccines to help alleviate limited initial supply, 60% of U.S. pharmacies are preparing or starting to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. An estimated 21 million healthcare workers and 3 million long-term care residents are eligible for the first vaccines.

Retail pharmacies Walgreens and CVS are providing the first phase of vaccines at long-term care facilities. But theyâre also planning for when supply begins catching up with demand and more people gain access to COVID-19 vaccines through their stores. Learn about how pharmacies are gearing up for a broader rollout and how some are pre-registering people for vaccines here.

For now, the vaccine will be available to a limited number of people through pharmacies and healthcare facilities. More information on each is below.

Medicare Part C Covers

Immunization Coalition of the Southern Tier

Medicare part C covers the same vaccines as Medicare Part B, and in addition, some plans also cover Shingles and both of the Tetanus vaccines.

Use a provider who is approved by your plan, and you will not have to pay either the deductible or the coinsurance payment of the vaccine but you will need to check with your insurance provider which pharmacies you may use.

Also Check: Will Getting Two Flu Shots Hurt You

Free Flu Shots Through Clinics Community Organizations And Public Health Departments

Many health departments and free clinics offer low-cost or free flu shots across the U.S. Here are a few examples:

Most colleges offer free flu shots for their students. Check on your schools website to confirm.
Military veterans enrolled in health care through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can get a flu shot at their nearest VA health care facility. This program does not apply to family members of veterans.
Many county health departments offer free, or discounted, flu vaccinations during flu season. Examples include:
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, in partnership with select LA County Libraries, will offer free flu shots through November.
The San Francisco Health Department offers convenient locations for members of the public to easily access free or low-cost flu vaccines.
The Houston Health Department offers flu shots to uninsured and underinsured people on a sliding scale that ranges from free to $15.

Cant find a location near you on this list? Watch for announcements on your local news station or in your local newspaper or search online for free flu shots in your area or through your citys health department.

How Do I Get A Flu Vaccine At Rite Aid

Rite Aid is offering flu vaccines seven days a week at all 2,400 locations in 17 states. You dont need to make an appointment and, while youre there, you may want to think about other vaccines you might need. Most insurance plans, including Medicare Part B, will pay for flu vaccines with no copay.

Shots cost $39.99 for those who dont have insurance or who dont have plans that will cover the price. To save time, fill out an immunization evaluation and screening questionnaire and consent forms before your visit. For people 65 and older, the chain is offering the high-dose vaccine FLUAD. The egg-free vaccine Flublok is available for adults.

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Prescription Savings Clubs Or Cards

Prescription Savings Clubs or Cards are accessible through several pharmacies, including Walgreens, Kroeger, CVS, Rite Aid, and more. At Walgreens, anyone is eligible to sign up for this savings method, regardless of whether they have insurance or not. It’s important to know that the membership can only be used with cash purchases and provides up to a 20% discount on vaccines. Bonuses and points can be accumulated to spend on other products at the pharmacy.

Pharmacies Soon Will Offer Covid

Rite Aid CEO on preparing for flu season amid the pandemic, Covid-19 testing

The options for people 75 and up are expanding.

Older Philadelphians will soon have more options for getting COVID-19 shots, but those who are unable to leave their homes may, for now, have to rely on vaccination of their caregivers for protection.

Johnson, who resigned after the interview in the wake of the controversy surrounding a vaccine site operated by Philly Fighting COVID, said all Philadelphia residents can now sign up at the citys vaccine notification website. They will be told when the pharmacies are ready for their group and sent links to make appointments. Seniors without internet access can also call a hotline at 685-5488, where staffers should be able to help elders make appointments, Johnson said.

The city is getting about 20,000 doses of vaccine each week through the end of February. There are about 91,000 Philadelphians who are 75 and up. The city is continuing to vaccinate police and fire personnel and will add teachers in a few weeks, so seniors should expect competition. As you can imagine, what happens is that every appointment gets taken, Johnson said.

CVS, which is still vaccinating people who live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, expects to begin vaccinating the general public in its nearly 10,000 pharmacies in April or May, said Matt Blanchette, manager of retail communications for CVS Pharmacy. CVS ultimately can give 20 to 25 million shots per month if it can acquire that many doses, he said.

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Book An Appointment Using The Walgreens App

You can also book an appointment for a flu shot at one of their pharmacies with the Walgreens Mobile App, through Walgreens Find Care.

Again dont forget, if you want to speed up your flu shot appointment, to download the Informed Consent for Vaccination form here, and fill it out before you go to the pharmacy.

For the flu shot appointment, you need to take

a valid ID

How To Schedule A Covid

To schedule a vaccination appointment at a Rite Aid near you, youll need to visit Rite Aids Vaccine Scheduler page here. Youll need to fill out your date of birth, occupation, city, state, ZIP code , medical conditions and which dose of the vaccine you are needing.

If you meet all the qualifications necessary for your region, youll see this message pop up on your screen :

Rite Aid

If you dont yet qualify or if vaccinations arent available in your region, youll be told that at this stage. Next, youll be taken to a page where you can schedule your vaccination and shown a map with pharmacies you can choose from. Youll have to enter your address or city and state again at this point. You can then select a store and will be told, after clicking NEXT, if any appointments are available at that Rite Aid. If not, you can try other stores in the region or check back on another day.

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Does Medicare Pay For Flu Shots At Cvs

If you are enrolled in Medicare Part B, flu shots at CVS are covered.

CVS is a Medicare-enrolled pharmacy and accepts assignment, which in short means that you have no deductible or co-insurance to pay.

Normally, CVS will bill Medicare directly for your flu shot.

If you have Medicare Part C you are covered for the same services as Medicare Part B, but you would be advised to check that CVS is a provider in your plans network, or you may find you have to pay out-of-pocket yourself.

Remember to ask the pharmacist to forward the information of your flu vaccine to your primary care doctor.