Find free and cheap flu shots
Flu season is unpredictable, but if this spell is like those before, we can expect to see more than 200,000 Americans hospitalized with complications, $10 billion spent on direct medical expenses, $16 billion in lost earnings and 20,000 to 60,000 deaths.
Now, pile on a pandemic, and we could be at the cusp of a troublesome stretch of time.
The upshot is six months of community mitigation measures like social distancing, hand scrubbing, sanitizing, elbow-coughing and mask wearing has us ready to face this perennial fiend. Those preventative measures may already be paying off, too. There has been an usually low number of influenza cases in countries in the Southern Hemisphere, like Australia,
Chile and South African, where the peak flu season runs from April to October. Nevertheless, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses, like flu, this fall and winter is more important than ever, according to the Centers for Disease Control. By getting the flu vaccine, you can protect yourself and those around you from this preventable disease. It can also help lessen the severity of symptoms, should you get sick.
Since a vaccine is readily available, it’s better to prepare now than scramble for an inoculation later in the year as sniffles and fever spread and you’re left wondering whether you’ve contracted the flu or coronavirus or heaven forbid, both.
So, if you plan to follow
the CDC’S recommendation — “Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season” — penciling in a time to get poked by a vaccine needle can maybe help you avoid capping off an alreadycrummy year sick and keep
more money in your pocket.
Most health plans cover a set of preventive services - like the flu shot - at no cost. If you have Medicare Part B or have purchased coverage through the public health insurance exchange, you should also be covered. Your
doctor can administer the shot safely or you can head to your local pharmacy.
If you don’t have health insurance, there are options.
Your county’s health department may offer free or discounted flu shots. The Albany County Department of Health offers routine clinics. The cost of the vaccination is $25 for uninsured people. A sliding-fee scale is used for those who are unable to pay the full cost. Rensselaer County offers clinics twice weekly. Cost of vaccine without insurance is $42.
Military veterans enrolled in Department of Veteran Affairs health care can receive a flu shot at a local VA health care facility. For added convenience, the VA has partnered with over 60,000 in-network retail pharmacies and urgent care clinics to provide free flu vaccines for those who don’t have easy access to a government-sponsored health care facility. Visit Va.gov for details.
To save money and minimize absenteeism, some employers will host free or low-cost flu clinics. Be sure to inquire.
The flu can spread rapidly on campus and result in a lot of empty classroom seats, which is why some colleges and universities offer free on-campus vaccination clinics. Locally, Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute’s student health services office will offer free vaccines to students this fall. If you don’t have access to a plan or sponsored clinic, several retailers offer flu shots for the uninsured or bonuses for those with insurance who receive a covered dose. Several are mentioned below. You can also check out Vaccinefinder.org to find a location. CVS: Pay $39.99 for a four-strain (quadrivalent) flu shot. If you have insurance, you’ll receive a $5 off $25 purchase coupon with your no-cost shot.
Rite Aid: This year’s four-strain flu vaccine will cost you $39.99 without insurance.
Sam’s Club: The retailer offers a seasonal four-strain flu shot for $30. You’ll need a flu shot card. No membership required.
Shoprite: Those looking to pay out of pocket can get a standard strain inoculation for about $25, depending on location.
Target: A seasonal vaccine will set you back $39.99 if you are uninsured. Like their partner, CVS, Target is offering a $5-off coupon for those with insurance who have their shots administered in-store.
Walgreen’s: The nation’s largest pharmacy chain is charging $40.99 for the four-strain flu shot.
Walmart: You’ll pay $39.98 for the vaccine without insurance.