Are You Due for a Vaccine?
Learn about vaccines and the no-cost flu shot
Staying up to date with your vaccines protects your health. Recommended vaccines are based on your age, sex, health status, and family history. You can check for vaccines you may need on VA's Staying Healthy Preventative Care Recommendation Charts for men and women.
Start by getting your flu vaccine (flu shot). Most people six months and older get a flu shot each year. Your local VA medical clinic offers free flu shots to enrolled Veterans. Eligible Veterans can also get a no-cost flu shot at retailers and pharmacies within their communities. This includes anyone enrolled in VA who received care from a VA or in-network community provider in the past 24 months.
Why get a flu shot?
The flu shot helps reduce illness, hospitalization, and death from the influenza (flu) virus. Each year in the U.S., millions of people get sick with the flu, resulting in hundreds of thousands needing to be hospitalized and tens of thousands dying from flu. The flu shot is your best protection against the flu. Learn more with VA's interactive flu vaccine tool.
Which vaccines should I get?
Flu season begins each fall and can last well into spring. This year's flu season could coincide with outbreaks of other harmful viruses (COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV). Learn more from the CDC on COVID-19 and RSV. You may be able to get more than one vaccine during one visit. Now is a good time to call your local VA medical center or community pharmacy to see if vaccines are available. If you plan to travel soon, find out if you can get your flu shot before you go.
Where can I get my vaccines?
Flu shots and other vaccines are available at many VA facilities or one of 70,000 community pharmacies and urgent care locations nationwide. Use our facility locator and call to learn when and where you can get a flu vaccine. Type in your zip code and choose a VA facility, pharmacy, or urgent care walk-in clinic near you.
If you go outside VA, let them know you're a Veteran enrolled in VA health care. For help with in-network community flu shots, call 877-881-7618 or your local VA facility. Learn more about no-cost flu shots.
Please vote in our unscientific poll. All responses are anonymous.
