Flu season is fast approaching. Pharmacies and doctor’s offices are already offering vaccinations, and some North Carolinians may be eligible for a new mRNA flu shot. 

Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first mRNA vaccine for influenza, a shot from Moderna. A study found 27% fewer flu cases for people who used the new shot compared to those who got a different flu vaccine, PBS News reported.

Traditional shots are available at a walk-in appointment and for little to no cost with most insurance plans. Even if you don’t have insurance, there are ways to get vaccinated affordably. 

Here’s what you should know.

Who should get a flu shot?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that, generally, everyone older than six months old get a flu vaccine once a year, some time from the summer to fall, depending on age. 

The protection is even more important for people who are at higher risk of serious complications from the flu, like the elderly and immunocompromised, according to the CDC.

Where do I get one in NC?

Big-name pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens are already offering flu vaccinations.

You can walk in for an appointment at Walgreens, or schedule appointments for up to four people in advance. 

Walgreens has also said it is “increasing pharmacy staffing throughout the season, giving pharmacists more time to focus on vaccinations, answer questions and help patients get in and out quickly.”

CVS is also providing vaccinations, company spokesperson Roslyn Guarino confirmed.

“Patients can get a vaccine any day their local CVS Pharmacy or MinuteClinic are open, including evenings and weekends,” she wrote in an email.

MinuteClinic, CVS’ medical clinics, also offer “sick symptom visits during which patients can be tested for flu, COVID-19, and strep throat, if eligible,” Guarino said.

Local health departments and doctor’s offices also provide flu vaccines.

VaccineFinder, run by Boston Children’s Hospital, is another helpful tool that maps places you can get vaccinated by zip code.

Will insurance cover my vaccine? 

“Most health care insurance plans cover the annual flu vaccination as part of preventive care,” according to the CDC. “Flu vaccination is often available at no or low cost to people who do not have insurance.”

Medicaid and Medicare will cover flu vaccines. 

If you don’t have health insurance, there are still affordable options. The Health Resources and Services Administration runs a database that shows federally funded health centers across the country, including in North Carolina. Those centers charge according to income.

What’s the new Moderna vaccine? Am I eligible?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first mRNA flu vaccine, mFLUSIVA, for adults who are 50 and older. Trials showed the shot is more effective than the traditional vaccine.

“The new Moderna mRNA flu vaccine is expected to be commercially available this fall,” North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Sean Doyle confirmed in an email. “However, at this time, it is not covered by federal programs such as Vaccines for Adults.”

North Carolina Medicaid will cover the vaccine’s cost, he said. Medicare is also expected to cover the shot, according to reporting from The Washington Post. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services did not respond to a request for comment.

It’s unlikely that the new vaccine will be covered by private insurance, Dr. Ofer Levy, who heads a vaccines program at Boston Children’s Hospital, told NBC News. 

Private insurers usually only cover shots recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The committee has been legally blocked from meeting since a federal judge found U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. violated federal law by overhauling membership of the committee, The Guardian reported. 

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