What is Walgreens Flu Shots?
Walgreens offers flu shots as a preventive measure against the influenza virus. They are readily available during the flu season, which typically starts in October and lasts through March. The flu shots are administered by certified health professionals and are provided on a walk-in basis, making it easy for people to get vaccinated at any time.
When you arrive for your flu shot at Walgreens, you will be asked to fill out a short medical history questionnaire. After you complete the paperwork, the health professional will administer the vaccine. The flu shot is typically injected into the upper arm, and the injection site is usually covered with a small bandage.
The flu shot is designed to help prevent you from getting the flu or to reduce the severity of the symptoms if you do get infected. It's especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting the flu, such as young children, pregnant women, and elderly individuals.
Walgreens also offers flu shots for people with chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. These individuals are at an increased risk of serious complications if they get the flu, and the vaccine can help protect against those risks.
In addition to flu shots, Walgreens also offers a range of other immunizations, including vaccines for pneumonia, shingles, and HPV. Getting vaccinated at Walgreens is a quick and convenient way to help protect yourself and your community against serious illnesses.
Frequently Asked Questions about walgreens flu shots
Ingredients often include deactivated influenza viruses, chemicals that boost the body's response to the vaccine, preservatives to prevent contamination, and stabilizers. The CDC recommend getting a flu shot in September or October, but getting one any time during flu season will help.
Types of Flu Vaccines Include:
Afluria ® Quadrivalent, Fluarix ® Quadrivalent, Flulaval ® Quadrivalent, and Fluzone ® Quadrivalent.
The most commonly administered flu vaccine is a quadrivalent vaccine, which provides protection against the four strains of influenza most likely to be circulating each season.
Booster doses can make the flu vaccine more effective, but the benefit is limited to a few specific groups.
Fluad® contains two surface proteins, known as hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. These are the two proteins used to identify different types of influenza viruses. Flublok®, made using recombinant DNA technology, only contains the hemagglutinin protein.
Yes, the flu shot wears off in about six months. The flu shot does not provide long-lasting protection, which is another reason we need to get one every year.
TABLE. Influenza vaccines - United States, 2021–22 influenza season*
| Trade name (manufacturer) | Presentations | Age indication |
|---|
| Fluarix Quadrivalent (GlaxoSmithKline) | 0.5-mL PFS | ≥6 mos |
| FluLaval Quadrivalent (GlaxoSmithKline) | 0.5-mL PFS | ≥6 mos |
| Fluzone Quadrivalent (Sanofi Pasteur) | 0.5-mL PFS** | ≥6 mos** |
| 0.5-mL SDV** | ≥6 mos** |
What types of flu vaccines are available? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the use of licensed, age-appropriate influenza (flu) vaccines. Options include inactivated influenza vaccines [IIV4], recombinant influenza vaccine [RIV4], and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV4).
There are 3 recommended vaccines:
- Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine.
- Flublok Quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine.
- Fluad Quadrivalent adjuvanted flu vaccine.
The best way to protect against the flu is by receiving the flu vaccination every year, but there are actually two types of flu immunizations: trivalent and quadrivalent.
Yes, the flu shot wears off in about six months. The flu shot does not provide long-lasting protection, which is another reason we need to get one every year.
All flu vaccines for the 2023-2024 season will be quadrivalent (four-component). Most will be thimerosal-free or thimerosal-reduced vaccines (91%), and about 21% of flu vaccines will be egg-free.
How do flu vaccines work? Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are used to make the vaccine.
The CDC recommends annual flu shots for everyone 6 months and older each flu season. September and October are the best times for most people to get vaccinated.
A quadrivalent influenza (flu) vaccine is designed to protect against four different flu viruses, including two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses. Learn more about the vaccine composition for the current flu season vaccines.
Flu vaccines available in the US include:
High-dose, egg-based influenza vaccine (which has 4 times the antigen compared with a standard-dose inactivated influenza vaccine) Standard-dose, adjuvanted egg-based influenza vaccine.
