Get your flu shot
this season.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend individuals over the age of 9 years, with no known allergies to gelatin, gentamycin, eggs or prior allergic reactions to the vaccine, and with no history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) or other serious illness, get an annual seasonal influenza vaccine.

The CDC recommends getting a flu shot by the end of October to provide optimum protection against the flu, which generally starts widespread circulation in the U.S. around January.

It generally takes two weeks after receiving the flu shot for your body to build up enough antibodies to protect against an influenza infection. Once the antibodies are present, you are considered protected until the beginning of the next flu season.

Yes. You should get the flu vaccine each year, because the influenza virus changes each year, and because protection from the virus declines over time.

Yes. We offer different formulas of the flu vaccine to accommodate the needs of individuals. We have standard-dose flu shots, and high-dose shots for people 65 years old or older.

Yes. Our Urgent Care and Urgent Care Express locations offer flu shots to children 9 years of age and older. Children who are receiving their first flu vaccine ever will need two doses, so they should receive their first shot by the end of September. That way, they can get their second dose by the end of October, since the two doses must be given at least four weeks apart.

The CDC recommends that pregnant women receive the flu shot to protect them and their unborn babies from the flu.

Yes. The CDC says it is safe to get both vaccines at once. Baptist Health is not offering the Covid-19 vaccine at this time.

That depends on the type of flu shot you need. The most common vaccines are the quadrivalent flu vaccine and the high-dose flu vaccine.

• The quadrivalent flu vaccine protects against four different variants. It is the most common vaccine. Out-of-pocket cost is $29.99.
• The egg-free quadrivalent flu vaccine for those with egg allergies. Out-of-pocket is $54.99
• The high-dose flu vaccine is for adults over 65 to create a more robust immune response and protection. Out-of-pocket cost is $54.99.

Getting a yearly flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. While most people recover from the flu fairly easily, for others, it can be quite serious resulting in hospitalization and can even be life threatening.

The most common side effects reported from the flu shot include:

• Soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site
• Low-grade fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Nausea
• Fatigue

Any side effects are generally mild and subside on their own within 1 to 2 days.

No. Flu shots are made with inactive virus or with a single protein, neither of which can cause illness. Even the nasal spray, which contains attenuated, or weakened, live viruses, won’t cause a flu infection.

No. The virus that causes the flu is different from the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, so the flu vaccine won’t protect you from COVID-19.

Our doctors, nurses, technicians and support staff are required to wear face coverings and other personal protective equipment. You also will be asked to wear a face covering while receiving the flu shot. In addition, we adhere to social distancing, check staff’s and patients’ temperature upon entering and frequently clean high-touch surfaces to minimize the potential to spread illness.

Baptist Health has been a trusted name in South Florida for decades. Our nurses, technicians and support staff pride themselves on providing quality healthcare with your safety always at the forefront of the care they provide. It’s important that you stay on top of your health, just as we stay on top of the latest healthcare advances to keep you safe and healthy.