Flu Vaccine at Saint Luke's
Getting a flu vaccine each year is your best chance to avoid getting sick from the flu. Flu vaccines are now available at Saint Luke’s Primary Care and Convenient Care.
- Saint Luke’s Primary Care patients: Schedule your flu vaccine today by calling your Saint Luke’s Primary Care office. Patients can also receive a flu shot during regularly scheduled appointments.
- Saint Luke's Convenient Care: Schedule your flu vaccine today at Saint Luke's Convenient Care. Just choose "Immunization" as your visit type, or visit one of our primary care walk-in clinics.
Note: the flu vaccine is not available at Saint Luke's Urgent Care locations.
Who should get the flu vaccine?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the CDC recommend that babies older than six months and all children, teens, and adults get a flu vaccine every year.
It's extremely important that those at high risk for flu complications get the vaccine. Those groups include:
- Adults 65 and older
- Pregnant women
- Individuals with serious health conditions:
- Long-term heart and lung conditions
- Endocrine disorders such as diabetes
- Kidney or liver disorders
- Weak immune system from disease or medical treatment, including HIV, AIDS, or those taking long-term steroids or medicines to treat cancer
- Blood disorders such as sickle cell disease
It is also important that others who have an increased risk of being exposed to the flu or are around people with increased risk for complications get the vaccine, including:
- Health care providers and other staff who provide care in hospitals, nursing homes, home health, and other facilities
- Household members, including children of people in high-risk group
How does the flu vaccine protect you?
There are many types (strains) of flu viruses. Medical experts predict which strains are most likely to make people sick each year. This varies from year to year. Flu vaccines are made from these strains. With the shot, inactivated flu viruses are injected into your body. The viruses have been killed and can't make you sick. But they do cause the body to make antibodies to fight these flu strains.
Older adults don't make these antibodies as well as younger people, so a special high-strength flu vaccine is given to people older than 65. Your health care provider can tell you which type of flu vaccine is right for you.
Flu symptoms & treatment
Flu symptoms tend to come on quickly. Fever, headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat, runny nose, and muscle aches are symptoms of the flu. Children may have upset stomach or vomiting, but adults usually don’t. Some symptoms such as fatigue and cough can last for many weeks.
If you’re experiencing flu symptoms, visit one of Saint Luke’s same-day care options.