Bryan Stalder
Contributor

It’s that time of year again — the temperatures are dropping, leaves are turning, and health experts are reminding everyone to get a flu shot.

Getting vaccinated helps protect not just you, but also your family, coworkers, and neighbors as flu season ramps up across the Kansas City area.

Walgreens offers flu shots for those ages 3 and up. There is a Walgreens pharmacy located at 5400 Independence Avenue. You can schedule online at Walgreens.com/ScheduleVaccine, through the Walgreens app, or by texting “Flu” to 66879. Appointments aren’t required, but they can make your visit quicker. You can also call 1-800-WALGREENS or the Walgreens on Independence Avenue directly at (816) 231-0730.

Most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover the flu shot at no cost. Call ahead if you have questions. 

The KC CARE Health Center, also provides flu vaccines — and no one is turned away for lack of insurance. Uninsured patients can pay on a sliding scale based on income. An early morning accident last month caused damage to the KC CARE Health Center on Independence Avenue, so patients may have to make a trip to another location if they’re seeking a flu shot from their clinic. To make an appointment or find a location, call 816-753-5144.

If you can’t get an appointment, the Midtown clinic accepts walk-ins starting at noon each weekday.

KC CARE operates several locations:

• Midtown South: 3515 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64111
  
• Midtown North: 3501 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64111
  
• Research Campus: 2340 East Meyer Blvd, Building 1, Suite 200, Kansas City, MO 64132
  
• Northeast: 4601 Independence Ave (currently closed for repairs)
  

Another option for Northeast residents seeking the flu shot is the Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center, which not only offers flu shots, but other immunizations as well. The clinic accepts most insurance plans and also provides discounted services for those who are uninsured or underinsured.

To schedule, call (816) 474-4920, email appointment@samrodgers.org, or use the appointment form at samrodgers.org.

Be sure to bring a photo ID and insurance card (if you have one). For patients under 19, immunization records are required.

The main clinic is at 825 Euclid Ave., Kansas City, MO 64124.

CDC Updates Vaccine Guidelines

While you’re thinking about flu season, there are some new national updates on other vaccines you may have heard about.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced changes to its recommendations for both the COVID-19 and chickenpox (varicella) vaccines. The updates were based on new guidance from the agency’s vaccine advisory committee.

For COVID-19 shots, the CDC now says decisions should be made on an individual basis between patients and their health care providers. That’s a shift away from the agency’s earlier, broad recommendation that nearly all adults and children receive the vaccine.

The change means people are encouraged to talk with their doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about whether getting the COVID-19 vaccine makes sense for them.

Not everyone agrees with the new approach. The American Academy of Pediatrics still strongly recommends COVID-19 shots for children six months and older, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America continues to recommend the vaccine for everyone ages six months and up.

For chickenpox, the CDC now recommends that young children receive the varicella vaccine as a separate shot, instead of the combined MMRV vaccine (which also covers measles, mumps, and rubella). The change comes because the combined shot carries a slightly higher risk of fever-related seizures in toddlers, though these are rare and typically short-lived.

Health experts say the bottom line hasn’t changed — vaccines remain one of the best tools for staying healthy and keeping communities safe.

For more information about vaccines and the CDC’s updated immunization schedules, visit cdc.gov/vaccines.