Better late than never for getting a flu shot

Would you rather kick off the New Year fighting the flu with fever, body aches and vomiting — or working your resolutions? We thought so.

It’s not too late to get the flu vaccine. Most people 6 months and older should get it.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seasonal flu activity is elevated across the country. It estimated flu has caused at least 15 million illnesses, 7.3 million medical visits, 150,000 hospitalizations and 9,300 deaths in the U.S. so far this season.

Many hospitals are over-extended due to the “tripledemic” of flu, COVID and another respiratory virus called RSV. You can help not just yourself, but also your community to stay healthier with a flu shot—and your COVID booster, if you haven’t gotten it yet.

You can get a shot at your doctor’s office, at an in-network pharmacy or at a retail health clinic. As a HealthSelect^SM medical plan participant, you can get the flu shot at no cost to you when you go to an in-network provider. For help locating in-network providers, call a BCBSTX Personal Health Assistant toll-free at (800) 252-8039, Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Saturday, 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. CT. 

The HealthSelect Prescription Drug Plan administered by OptumRx covers routine vaccines at 100% when you use an in-network pharmacy. To learn more about the flu and ways to prevent it, check out Flu Awareness & Prevention under Member Education on www.HealthSelectRx.com.

If you want to get your vaccination(s) at a pharmacy and aren’t sure whether to use your medical or pharmacy plan ID card, take both cards and let the pharmacy staff choose which to use.