Getting Your Flu Shot
Getting your flu shot in the fall is a great way to prevent you and your family from being sick with the flu this season. Flu season starts in October, and cases peak between December and February.
University of Maryland (UM) Urgent Care offers flu shots to patients who visit one of our locations for a health service. We're also here to answer any flu vaccination questions you have.
Who Should Get the Flu Shot?
People between the ages of 4 and 64 years of age are eligible for the flu shot at our urgent care centers. Flu shots exist for those older than 64 and younger than 4 years old, although these shots are not provided at UM Urgent Care.
Kids and the Flu Shot
Children between the ages of 4 and 8 who have not previously been immunized against the flu should be immunized twice, separated by 30 days.
Getting Vaccinated While Pregnant
Women who are pregnant can get the flu shot. The flu vaccine has not been shown to cause harm to pregnant women or their babies.
Egg Allergies
People who have egg allergies can get their flu vaccine at UM Urgent Care. The one we administer is not made with egg products and is safe for patients that have egg allergies.
When Should You Get the Flu Shot?
The flu season is unpredictable, but most years cases spike around December to February. To be protected by then, it's especially important to get your flu shot as soon as it is available.
Protective immunity doesn't develop until one to two weeks after vaccination so there is a chance you could get the flu after getting your shot. This is why you will need to wash your hands, not touch your face and mouth and stay away from people who have flu symptoms like a cough, sneezing, runny nose, aches or other symptoms.
Note that the flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccinations can be given on the same day or at any interval a patient is comfortable with.
Flu Shot Side Effects
The flu shot can cause mild side effects that are sometimes mistaken for flu, but a flu shot cannot give you the flu. These side effects are from a person's immune system producing protective antibodies in response to being vaccinated. These antibodies allow the body to fight the flu.
Some of the most common side effects of the flu shot include:
- Feeling unwell (malaise)
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Pain or redness where you got the shot
- Tiredness
If you have any side effects, they usually last one to two days after vaccination and are much less severe than the actual flu illness.
Get a Flu Shot Near You
If you're visiting a UM Urgent Care location for an issue and haven't yet gotten vaccinated against the flu, ask about getting a flu shot while you're here.