How To Get Your Flu Vaccine
Intermountain flu clinics
Click the link below to find an Intermountain flu clinic location near you. Some locations accept walk-ins and call-ahead options, while others may require an appointment.Doctor appointments
Call your primary care physician’s office to schedule a flu vaccine appointment. If you already have an upcoming visit with your doctor, you may receive your flu vaccine then.Pharmacy or health department
Call or visit your local pharmacy or health department to get your flu vaccine.
The flu vaccine is recommended for those 6 months and older. Annual flu vaccines are covered by most health insurance plans, including Medicare Part B and D and Medicaid. Check with your insurance provider for any restrictions that may apply.
What is the difference between COVID-19 and influenza?
Influenza (the flu) and COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus that's led to the current pandemic, are both infectious respiratory illnesses. Although the symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu can look similar, the two illnesses are caused by different viruses. Research so far indicates that COVID-19 spreads more easily and has a higher death rate than the flu.
- COVID-19: Caused by one virus, the novel 2019 coronavirus, now called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2.
- Influenza: Caused by any of several different types and strains of influenza viruses.
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Seasonal Influenza (Flu)
Seasonal influenza (flu) frequently comes on fast and furious. One minute you're feeling a little "off" and within an hour or two you know you'd better get yourself to bed. It’s a common respiratory infection caused by a virus that affects your nose, throat, and lungs and can last from 5 to 7 days. Here are some common symptoms of the flu:
- Fever and/or chills
- Cough (usually dry)
- Fatigue
- Aches and pains
- Runny or stuffy nose (sometimes)
- Sore throat (sometimes)
- Diarrhea (sometimes in children)
Unlike for colds, vaccination is a good way to prevent the flu. If you received a flu vaccine and still get the flu, your symptoms are generally milder than if you didn’t receive the flu vaccine, and people who have been vaccinated are much less likely to be hospitalized. Most people with the flu get well without medical treatment, although they can be quite ill for several days. Stay home and get plenty of rest and fluids and treat a fever with acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Most people who get the flu will recover in less than two weeks. But in some people, the flu causes complications, including pneumonia. The overall hospitalization rate in the U.S. for the flu last season was about 67 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, according to the CDC.
More information about the flu:
COVID-19
SARS CoV-2, or COVID-19, is a new strain of coronavirus not previously seen in humans that is spreading quickly worldwide. Two other strains of the coronavirus also cause serious respiratory disease, and four other strains of coronavirus are actually very common and usually only cause mild symptoms (like the common cold). However, the COVID-19 virus, can cause severe illness in certain groups. For example, older people and people of all ages with severe underlying health conditions – like heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes, for example – seem to be at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness.
Symptoms of COVID-19 can include*:
- Cough (usually dry)
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fever and/or chills
- Tiredness (sometimes)
- Aches and pains (sometimes)
- Headaches (sometimes)
- Sore throat (sometimes)
- Loss of taste or smell (sometimes)
*Upper respiratory symptoms, like runny nose and sinus congestion, are very uncommon in COVID-19.
The severity of COVID-19 symptoms ranges from mild to severe. If you suspect you have COVID-19, call Intermountain Healthcare’s 24-hour hotline, Health Answers, at 844-442-5224 to talk with an Intermountain clinician who can review your symptoms and give specific care recommendations. If your symptoms are mild you will likely be directed to stay home to protect others from illness and follow the CDC’s recommended guidance for self-care. If you’re referred to a testing site or medical facility, remember to call ahead and let them know your symptoms before you go in. Click here for more detailed information on coronavirus.
Symptom Comparison Table
It is important to remember that antibiotics won’t help any viral infections. Usually, the infections just need to run their course, so it’s best to just wait and watch. If your viral symptoms get better, and then days later suddenly get worse, you should contact your healthcare provider who can evaluate whether you may have a bacterial infection.
How are the flu and COVID-19 spread?
Both COVID-19 and flu can spread from person-to-person, between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). Both are spread mainly by droplets in the air made when people with the illness (COVID-19 or flu) cough, sneeze, or talk. These droplets can be breathed into the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or inhaled into the lungs.
It may be possible that a person can get infected by physical human contact (e.g. shaking hands) or by touching a surface or object that has virus on it and then touching his or her own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.
Both flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 may be spread to others by people before they begin showing symptoms, by people with very mild symptoms or by people who never develop symptoms (asymptomatic) as well as those who are ill (symptomatic).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is influenza (flu)?
What are the symptoms of influenza (flu)?
- Sudden onset of moderate to high fever
- Dry cough
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Chills
- Runny nose
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle aches
- Tiredness
When should you contact your doctor about influenza (flu)?
How is influenza (flu) treated?
- Rest.
- Drink lots of fluids.
- Eat a light diet.
- Stay at home.
- Take acetaminophen (such as Tylenol®) to reduce fever and relieve muscle aches.
Can you prevent influenza (flu)?
Yes. If you get the flu vaccine, you are likely to be protected from the flu for the duration of the flu season. The vaccine is given as a shot or a nasal spray. You must get the vaccine every year in autumn to be protected. Sometimes the vaccine does not prevent you from getting the flu but makes the flu less severe if you do get it. The vaccine is safe, even for pregnant women. You can’t get the flu from the flu shot.
In addition, some of the antivirals (Relenza and Tamiflu) given to treat the flu can be used to help keep you from getting sick if you’ve been in close contact with someone who already has the flu.
Because the flu is so contagious, you can do other things that may help you prevent getting or spreading the flu:
- Practice good hand-washing hygiene. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. If you can’t use soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid being around sick people whenever possible.
- Avoid being around other people when you do not feel well, especially when you have a fever.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Eat well, exercise, and get enough rest.
Who should get the flu vaccine?
It’s recommended that everyone 6 months or older should get a yearly flu vaccine to protect yourself and other people around you. Those who have any of the following conditions are at high risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu:
- Kidney disease.
- Liver disease.
- Lung disease.
- Neurologic diseases.
- Diabetes.
- Heart problems.
- An illness that weakens the immune system, or if you are taking a medicine that weakens the immune system, thus making it hard for your body to fight illnesses.
- Blood disorders.
- Obesity.
You also have a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from influenza if you:
If you work in a healthcare facility, you may transmit influenza to patients and other workers, but you are not at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill. The recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is that everyone over the age of 6 months gets a flu vaccine if there are no contraindications. This includes individuals who are not at high risk.
Who shouldn’t get the flu vaccine?
- Severely allergic to a previous dose of any influenza vaccine, regardless of the vaccine component (including eggs) suspected of being responsible for the reaction.
- Sick with a fever. (Wait until you feel better before getting a flu shot.)
There is an option to get the nasal flu vaccine (administered through your nose). The following groups of people shouldn't get the nasal flu vaccine:
(Please remember that the above list is for people who should not receive the NASAL flu vaccine. It does not refer to the flu shot.)
Why is influenza (flu) more dangerous for elderly or chronically ill people?
- Pneumonia.
- Hospitalization.
- Death.
When should you get the flu vaccine?
When should you go back to work or school if you have had the flu?
Why is it important for influenza (flu) vaccines to be given during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Can I have flu and COVID-19 at the same time?
Will a flu vaccine protect me against COVID-19?
If I am pregnant is it safe to get a flu vaccine?
Pregnant women should get a flu vaccine. Pregnant women are particularly susceptible to an illness such as influenza. The immune system undergoes normal changes during pregnancy, which can increase the risk of complications from the flu. Pregnant women who acquire the flu are also at higher risk of pregnancy related complications, such as preterm labor, pneumonia, and serious illness requiring hospital admission.
Unlike adults, newborn babies cannot receive influenza vaccinations because it is only approved for people ages 6 months and older. Therefore, they need assistance in obtaining protective antibodies, which can be provided from their mother prior to their birth. If the mother receives a vaccine during pregnancy, the antibodies she generates will passively transfer from her to the baby, allowing the baby to be born with a blood stream full of this precious gift from mom. Without this protection, the baby is vulnerable to the influenza virus until they can receive their own flu vaccinations at 6 months.
Can I catch the flu from the flu vaccine?
The influenza vaccine is made from virus particles or inactivated virus that can’t transmit infection. However, it takes a week or two to develop full protection and many times a person can become sick during that short window while they’re waiting for the vaccine to take full effect. That can lead to the incorrect assumption that the vaccine caused their illness.
The vaccine reduces your odds of getting the flu from as high as one in four to one in 10 and protects you from the four influenza viruses that research indicates will be the most common during the upcoming flu season. People can still get the flu despite getting the vaccine if they’re exposed to a strain of influenza that doesn’t match at 100 percent but the severity is usually less because some immunity has been generated.
Why do we get an influenza vaccine every year?
Just like the COVID virus which constantly evolves into new variants, the subtypes of the influenza virus also evolve and change into new “strains”. The H (hemagglutinin) protein and the N (neuraminidase) proteins on the surface of the influenza virus change their structure which helps them evade our immune system. Vaccines are modified every year to match the new protein structure that then teaches our immune system to recognize and target them to neutralize their ability to infect us.
There is also some waning, or lessening, of the strength of our body’s immune response over time after a vaccine. Each year’s influenza vaccine boosts that immune response and helps our immune cells remember how to fight the influenza virus.
Is the flu vaccine dangerous?
When does flu season start in Utah?
Is a cold a symptom of a flu?
Should people with egg allergies get a flu vaccine?
Who should talk to their doctor or pharmacist before getting a flu vaccine?
- People who have an allergy to eggs or other vaccine ingredients
- People who’ve ever had Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
- People who are feeling ill
If you have any questions or concerns about receiving the vaccination, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
How much does it cost?
Should a flu vaccine be given to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19?
What are the strains included in the influenza vaccine this season?
How much influenza do we expect this year?
Does the influenza vaccine help protect against COVID?
Can I get a COVID Vaccine and a Flu Vaccine at the same time?
Disclaimer
Annual flu vaccines are covered by most health insurance plans, including Medicare Parts B and D as well as Medicaid.
Please check with your insurance provider for questions about your medical benefits coverage.