VA Offering Flu Vaccines Through November

Flu vaccinations are now available for Veterans enrolled in VA health care.

Veterans may request the flu shot at their regularly scheduled VA appointments.

Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare may also get vaccinated during free walk-in flu shot clinics at VA community based VA clinics throughout the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin during the following dates and times:

• At the Hancock, MI VA Clinic (787 Market Street, Suite 9) on Friday, October 26, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (ET) and Friday, November 2, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. (ET).
• At the Ironwood, MI VA Clinic(629 West Cloverland Drive, Suite 1) on Monday, October 29, and Friday, November 6, from  8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (CT) each day.
• At the Manistique, MI VA Clinic (813 East Lakeshore Drive) on Monday, October 29; Tuesday, November 6; and Wednesday, November 7, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (ET) each day.
• At the Marquette, MI VA Clinic (1414 West Fair Avenue, Suite 285) on Fridays, November 2 and 9, from 12 to 3 p.m. (ET) each day.
• At the Menominee, MI VA Clinic (1110 10^th Avenue, Suite 101) on Fridays October 26 and November 9, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (CT) each day.
• At the Rhinelander, WI VA Clinic (639 West Kemp Street) every Friday from October 26 to November 23, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (CT).
• At the Sault Ste. Marie, MI VA Clinic (509 Osborn Blvd, Suite 306) on Wednesdays October 31 and November 7, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (ET) each day.

No appointment is necessary.  Veterans may call (800) 215-8262, extension 34758, for updated VA Flu Shot Clinics in the Upper Peninsula and northeast Wisconsin.

“Some people are worried that getting the flu shot will give them the flu, but that is a myth since flu shots either contain inactivated flu viruses or no viruses at all per the CDC,” said Ann Mattson, RN, Infection Control Nurse at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain.

Another misconception is that the flu shot prevents the stomach flu.

“The flu is a respiratory disease, not a stomach or intestinal ailment, therefore the flu shot is not going to prevent what many call the ‘stomach flu,’” added Mattson..