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Get the flu shot & not the flu

Get the flu shot and not the flu

By getting the flu shot, we set ourselves up to be as healthy as possible. Plus, the healthy habits you have adopted—covering your cough, washing your hands often, and staying home when you are sick—will continue to protect us all as we enter flu season.

The flu shot protects ourselves, our loved ones, the healthcare professionals who care for us, and our most vulnerable populations. With the impacts of COVID-19, keeping yourself healthy means that we can make sure we have space and resources for fellow Montanans who need a hospital bed.

There are many reasons to get the flu shot.

  • Getting a flu shot prevents illness, medical visits, hospitalizations, and deaths.
  • Right now, with our hospitals busy caring for COVID patients, we need to take measures to keep ourselves healthy and out of the hospital.
  • Getting a flu shot can lower your chance for having heart attack in people who have chronic health problems like diabetes and heart disease.
  • Pregnant women who get a flu shot protect themselves and their baby from influenza infection and complications.
  •  While some people who get vaccinated still get sick, flu vaccination has been shown to reduce severity of illness.

Why is it important to get a flu vaccine EVERY year?

  • It is important to get the flu shot each year because flu viruses are constantly changing.  Flu vaccines are updated each year for the type of flu that is expected to predominate.
  • Your protection from a flu vaccine declines over time. That is why it is important to get a flu vaccine each year. 

Enrolled Veterans have multiple options to get their 2021 flu shot this year. For each option, remember to wear a short-sleeve shirt.

First, enrolled Veterans with scheduled MTVAHCS primary care appointments will be offered flu shots at the time of their appointment.

Second, MTVAHCS clinics across the state are holding drive-thru or walk-in flu clinics (details below).

Finally, Montana Veterans can find community locations to get no-cost flu shots at flu shot locations across Montana.
 

Anaconda VA Clinic

118 E 7th St., Anaconda MT, 59701

Drive-Thru Flu Shots: Enrolled Veterans can receive a drive-up flu shot on October 5, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Please bring your Veteran ID.

Walk-In Flu Shots: Starting on October 8, Veterans can receive walk-in flu shots October 12, October 19, and October 26 from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Please enter through the Primary Care Clinic entrance. No appointment is necessary and please bring your Veteran ID.

Bozeman VA Clinic

300 North Willson Avenue (Suite 703G), Bozeman, MT 59715

Drive-Up Flu Shots: Enrolled Veterans can receive a drive-up flu shot on October 5, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Please bring your Veteran ID.

Walk-In Flu Shots: Starting on October 8, Veterans can receive walk-in flu shots every Friday in October from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Please enter through the Primary Care Clinic entrance. No appointment is necessary and please bring your Veteran ID.

Billings VA Clinic

1775 Spring Creek Lane, Billings, 59102

Drive-Thru for Flu Shots: Enrolled Veterans can receive a drive-up flu shot on October 5, 2021, from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Please remember to bring your Veteran ID card with you.

Walk-In Flu Shots: Starting October 14 – March 2022 Veterans can receive walk-in flu shots at the Benjamin Charles Steele VA Clinic (1776 Majestic Lane) each Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Please remember to bring your Veteran ID card with you.

Appointments: Veterans can receive a flu shot with their next appointment or by calling 406-373-3500 to schedule an immunization appointment any time Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Please remember to bring your Veteran ID card with you.

Cut Bank VA Clinic

8 Second Avenue Southeast, Cut Bank, MT 59427

Veterans can receive a flu shot with their next appointment or walk in during normal clinic hours between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Fort Harrison/Helena VA Medical Center Flu Clinic information

3687 Veterans Drive, Fort Harrison

Drive-Thru Flu Shots: Enrolled Veterans can receive a drive-up flu shot on October 5, 2021, from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Please bring your Veteran ID.

Walk-In Flu Shots: Veterans can receive walk-in flu shots on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Please enter through the new Primary Care Clinic entrance. No appointment is necessary and please bring your Veteran ID.

Glasgow VA Clinic

630 2nd Avenue South (Suite A), Glasgow, MT 59230

Drive-Thru Flu Shots: Enrolled Veterans can receive a drive-up flu shot on October 7, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Please bring your Veteran ID.

Glendive VA Clinic

2000 Montana Avenue, Glendive, MT 59330

Drive-Thru Flu Shots: Enrolled Veterans can receive a drive-up flu shot on October 5, 2021, from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Please bring your Veteran ID.

Walk-In Flu Shots: Veterans can receive a flu shot with their next appointment or by calling 406-373-3500 to schedule an immunization appointment Mondays, Tuesdays, or Fridays from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Appointments are not necessary but preferred. Please remember to bring your Veteran ID card with you.

Great Falls VA Clinic

1400 29th Street South (Suite 1), Great Falls, MT 59405

Drive-Thru Flu Shots: Enrolled Veterans can receive a drive-up flu shot in the clinic parking lot on October 5, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Please bring your Veteran ID. 

Walk-In Flu Shots: Starting October 14th, Veterans can receive walk-in flu shots on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. No appointment is necessary and please bring your Veteran ID.

Havre VA Clinic

130 13th Street (Suite 1), Havre, MT 59501

Drive-Thru Flu Shots: Enrolled Veterans can receive a drive-up flu shot in the Holiday Village Mall parking lot on October 5, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Please bring your Veteran ID.

Hamilton VA Clinic

299 Fairgrounds Road (Suite A), Hamilton, MT 59840

Veterans can receive a flu shot with their next appointment or walk in during normal clinic hours between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Kalispell VA Clinic

31 Three Mile Drive, Kalispell, MT 59901-1400

Walk-In Flu Shot Options: Flu shots will be available every Wednesday from 8:00-10:00 a.m. through October 27th. No appointment necessary!

Lewistown VA Clinic

629 Northeast Main Street (Suite 1), Lewistown, MT 59457

Veterans can receive a flu shot with their next appointment or walk in during normal clinic hours between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Miles City VA Clinic

210 South Winchester Avenue, Miles City, MT 59301

Drive-Thru Flu Shots: Enrolled Veterans can receive a drive-up flu shot on October 6, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Please bring your Veteran ID card with you.

Walk-In Flu Shots: Veterans can receive a flu shot with their next appointment or by calling 406-373-3500 to schedule an immunization appointment anytime Monday - Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Please remember to bring your Veteran ID card with you.

Missoula VA Clinic

2687 Palmer Street, Missoula, MT 59808

Walk-In Flu Shot Options: Missoula-area Veterans can also come into the clinic’s C3 Lobby for walk-in flu shots every Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. No appointment is necessary and please bring your Veteran ID.