Montana VA Health Care System Launches 2022 Flu Shot Season with Statewide Clinics

Montana VA Health Care System Launches 2022 Flu Shot Season with Statewide Clinics
Statewide Flu Clinics among Many Options for Enrolled Veterans

CONTACT: Katie (Catherine) Beall, Catherine.beall@va.gov, 406-202-6082
Matthew Rosine, Matthew.Rosine@va.gov, 406-417-9447

FORT HARRISON, Mont.— The Montana VA Health Care System (MTVAHCS) kicks off the 2022 flu shot season next week. Enrolled Montana Veterans have multiple options to make getting a free flu shot easy.

First, Veterans who are enrolled with VA healthcare will be offered flu shots at their Montana VA primary care appointments.  Second, flu vaccines are available to enrolled Veterans at pharmacies and urgent care locations across Montana. To find a close-to-home and in-network community care provider, Veterans can search by entering in their home zip code in the drop-down menu of the VA locator, https://www.va.gov/find-locations. Finally, many local Montana VA clinics are holding additional flu shot options, such as drive-in flu clinics or walk-in options (details below based on location).

“Flu is always a preventable respiratory infection,” said Dr. Judy Hayman, Montana VA Executive Director. “The flu shot is a safe, compassionate way we can protect others by stopping the spread of the flu virus.”

The flu vaccine gets updated annually, and Veterans should get a flu shot each year. The flu shot is safe and effective, and a person cannot get the flu from the flu shot. The flu virus most impacts high-risk groups such as adults who are 65 years or older, pregnant women, people in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, individuals with medical conditions (such as heart disease, asthma, and kidney or liver disorders), and people with weakened immune symptoms.

Montana VA’s Flu Shot Clinic Schedule (by location)

Billings, Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow VA Clinic (1775 Spring Creek Lane, Billings) 

• October 5 Drive-Through Flu Clinic: From 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. (in the parking lot) 
• Walk-in flu shots are available every Thursday beginning October 6 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 pm in the Ben Steele Conference room. 

Bozeman Travis W. Atkins VA Clinic (1101 E. Main Street, Bozeman) 

• October 5 Walk-In Flu Clinic: From 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. 

Butte VA Clinic (40 Three Bears Drive, Butte) 

• October 12 Drive-Through Flu Clinic: From 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
• Walk-in flu shots are available every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. 

Cut Bank (8 Second Avenue Southeast, Cut Bank) 

• Walk-in flu shots are available Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. and again from 3:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. 

Fort Harrison/Helena (3687 Veterans Drive, Fort Harrison) 

• October 5 Drive-Through Flu Clinic: From 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. (Parking Lot A) 
• Walk-in flu shots are available in the Primary Care Clinic (2nd floor conference room) every Thursday (beginning Sept. 29) from 8:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. 

Glasgow (630 2nd Avenue South, Suite A, Glasgow) 

•  Walk-in flu shots are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. 

Glendive VA Clinic (2000 Montana Avenue, Glendive) 

• October 4 Drive-Through Flu Clinic: From 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.  
• Walk-in flu shots are available Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. 

Great Falls VA Clinic (1400 29th South, Suite 1, Great Falls) 

• Walk-in flu shots are available Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. 

Kalispell VA Clinic (31 Three Mile Drive, Suite 102, Kalispell) 

• Walk-in flu shots are available every Wednesday in October from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. 

Miles City VA Clinic (316 S Haynes Avenue, Miles City) 

• October 5 Drive-Through Flu Clinic: From 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. (North side of clinic) 
• Walk-in flu shots are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. 

Missoula David J. Thatcher VA Clinic (3885 West Broadway Street, Missoula) 

• October 13 Walk-In Flu Clinic: From 8:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. 
• Walk-in flu shots are available every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. 

Montana VA serves over 47,000 enrolled Veterans across Montana—an area roughly 147,000 square miles in size. Veterans are cared for by a staff of 1,400 at 18 sites of care across the state.  One third of Montana VA employees are Veterans. Veterans can connect to their VA healthcare records, information, and message their VA care teams 24 hours a day through the MyHealtheVet patient portal (https://www.myhealth.va.gov/mhv-portal-web/how-to-use-mhv). Montana VA information, updates, and events are available on the Montana VA website (https://www.va.gov/montana-health-care) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/VAMontana).

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