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Flu Shot Clinics
Mark you calendar! Plan on attending one of the three scheduled flu shot clinics this fall.
About the Flu Shot
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, getting the flu shot this fall or winter is more important than ever!
Influenza, or flu, is an illness caused by a virus that is passed from person to person. Millions of people get the flu each year. Hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands to tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes each year.
Flu vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of illness, hospitalization and death. In fact, studies show that by receiving an annual flu shot you may be up to 60 percent less likely to need treatment for the flu.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing respiratory illnesses is important to protect vulnerable populations at risk for severe illness, the healthcare system, and other critical infrastructure.
For more information about the interplay between the flu and COVID-19, check out this page of FAQs from the CDC.
Flu Shot Clinics
Walk-in flu shot clinics for students and staff are scheduled as follows:
- Shadyside Campus:
- Thursday, September 17 - Noon to 4:00 pm
- Friday, September 25 - 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
- Wednesday, September 30 - 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
- The clinics will be out on the quad, or at Eddy Theatre lobby if it rains.
- Eden Hall Campus:
- Thursday, October 8 - 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, in the Cafe.
- Chatham Eastside:
- Monday, October 19 - 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, in the PA Lab, Mezzanine Level.
No appointment is needed and shots are free for all students.
Flu shots will be strongly encouraged, but not mandated. If health and local government guidance is updated on this topic, this may be revisited.
Information for Employees
Flu shots are free for employees with Chatham’s UPMC Health Plan. Employees should bring their UPMC Health Plan card. For employees on the UPMC Health Plan, flu shots will be provided via the clinics or free of charge at other approved locations (including Giant Eagle pharmacies) throughout the region. Fit for the Future wellness points are earned for receiving a flu shot.
Employees covered under other health plans pay $20 and will be provided with a receipt to submit to their health insurer.
Can’t make it at this time? Get your free flu shot at Rite Aid or Giant Eagle pharmacies or from your PCP doctor with your UPMC health insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Flu season typically runs from September through February.
Getting the flu shot can:
- reduce severity of the flu if you happen to get it
- reduce the risk of flu-related complications for people with chronic health conditions
- protect those around you who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness, like babies and young children, older people and those with certain chronic health conditions
- help preserve healthcare resources for people with COVID-19
In addition, getting the shot may also offer considerable other benefits, including reducing:
- Antibiotic use
- Time lost from work
- Hospitalizations
- The number of flu-related deaths
After the vaccine is administered, it takes about two weeks for the body to develop antibodies that provide protection against infection after vaccination. Most flu vaccines in the US protect against three or four different flu viruses.
No. Vaccination should be postponed for people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, regardless of whether they have symptoms, until they have met the criteria to discontinue their isolation.
Yes. Experts aren’t sure how common this is, but it does seem to be possible.
No, because the viruses that cause COVID-19 and the flu are different.