- Is MIT Health offering on-campus flu vaccines this year?
- When and where are the 2024 MIT Health flu clinics?
- Do I need an appointment?
- How much does the flu vaccine cost?
- Who is eligible to get a flu vaccine at a campus walk-in clinic?
- What if I need a record of my vaccination?
- I need to file a medical or religious exemption to the flu shot. How do I do that?
- When should I get the flu vaccine?
- Will you offer an egg-free flu vaccine for individuals with egg allergies?
- Is the flu vaccine available as a nasal spray?
- What are the potential side effects of the flu vaccine?
- How should we clean workspaces if someone in our area becomes sick with flu-like symptoms?
- Do I need a flu vaccine every year if I am wearing a mask and physically distancing from others?
- How many flu vaccinations do I need each year?
- If I get sick, how do I know if I have the flu or COVID-19?
- Can I get the flu from the flu vaccine?
- Can I get the flu vaccine if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?
- What kind of vaccine is offered?
- Last year’s vaccine was quadrivalent, but this year’s is trivalent. Is this year’s vaccine less effective? Can I get a quadrivalent instead?
- What if I have additional questions?
Is MIT Health offering on-campus flu vaccines this year?
Yes. As in past years, MIT Health will offer walk-in flu clinics on campus and at Lincoln Laboratory. Schedules and eligibility information are available on our Flu Information page.
When and where are the 2024 MIT Health flu clinics?
On-campus flu clinics will be held Monday–Thursday, October 7–10, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. in Morss Hall in Walker Memorial (Building 50). These clinics are free to everyone who is eligible to get a vaccine on campus. Come to the clinic on the day that is most convenient to you.
Lincoln Laboratory clinics will be held Monday–Thursday, October 21–24, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. This clinic is for current badge-holding Lincoln Laboratory employees only.
Do I need an appointment?
No. There are no appointments. Just walk in.
How much does the flu vaccine cost?
If you are eligible, there is no cost to get the vaccine.
Who is eligible to get a flu vaccine at a campus walk-in clinic?
Enrolled students, living on or off campus
All non-students living on campus, including family members
All MIT employees and contractors with an MIT ID
as well as all MIT Health patients older than six months.
Note: Any patients under age 18 must have a parent or guardian with them at the clinic in order to get their vaccine.
What if I need a record of my vaccination?
If you need documentation of your vaccine, you can ask a staff member at the clinic for a paper receipt. Or, if you’re an MIT Health patient, you can get documentation of your vaccination through our patient portal, HealthELife.
I need to file a medical or religious exemption to the flu shot. How do I do that?
MIT Health does not provide vaccine exemption forms. If a particular organization is requiring that you get a flu vaccine, ask that organization how to proceed with your vaccine exemption. MIT is very strongly encouraging students to get flu vaccines this year, but it is not required.
When should I get the flu vaccine?
The MIT Health flu clinics are timed for the beginning of flu season to help maximize your protection.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, “the exact timing and duration of flu seasons varies, but flu activity often begins to increase in October. Most of the time flu activity peaks between December and February, although significant activity can last as late as May.”
Getting the vaccine too early means your immunity can wear off before the season concludes, leaving you potentially more vulnerable to flu in the early spring months. Getting the vaccine too late, can leave you unprotected when flu starts spreading.
Will you offer an egg-free flu vaccine for individuals with egg allergies?
There will be no egg-free vaccines available at the clinics. You can make an appointment in Primary Care at MIT Health to get an egg-free vaccine. However, only a very limited number of egg-free vaccines are available at MIT Health.
Is the flu vaccine available as a nasal spray?
No. MIT Health does not have nasal spray vaccines. They will not be available at the flu clinics or by appointment.
What are the potential side effects of the flu vaccine?
According to the CDC, the most common side effect can include:
Soreness, redness, and/or swelling from the shot
Headache
Fever
Nausea
Muscle aches
Flu vaccines side effects are generally mild and tend to go away on their own in a few days.
How should we clean workspaces if someone in our area becomes sick with flu-like symptoms?
To prevent the spread of illness, disinfect commonly touched hard surfaces in the workplace by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label. This includes countertops, doorknobs, telephones, copy machines, workstations, and bathroom surfaces. Studies have shown that flu viruses do not remain infectious on environmental surfaces for more than eight hours. Frequent hand washing is the best way to avoid infection from contaminated surfaces.
Do I need a flu vaccine every year if I am wearing a mask and physically distancing from others?
Yes. It is essential that everyone who can get a flu vaccine does so. Flu is always a dangerous disease, but it can be even more deadly when combined with the risks associated with COVID-19. And having a highly vaccinated population at MIT also protects individuals in our community who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons.
How many flu vaccinations do I need each year?
Adults will need just one vaccination. Children aged 6 months–9 years who are getting a flu vaccination for the first time will need two doses, spaced at least a month apart.
If I get sick, how do I know if I have the flu or COVID-19?
The flu and COVID-19 have similar symptoms, so it is hard to know which illness you may have contracted. In fact, most sources refer to COVID-19 symptoms as “flu-like symptoms.” To be sure, take an over-the-counter rapid COVID-19 test or call your primary care provider for advice.
Can I get the flu from the flu vaccine?
No. The vaccine contains inactivated (dead) virus, which cannot cause an infection. However, the vaccine takes about two weeks to become fully effective, so it is always possible you could contract the flu during that time period. But the vaccine itself cannot cause influenza.
Can I get the flu vaccine if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?
Yes. Pregnant and breastfeeding individuals can receive the flu vaccine. Ask your personal clinician if you have concerns or questions.
What kind of vaccine is offered?
The 2024–25 flu vaccine offered at MIT is trivalent, protecting against two strains of influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) and one strain of influenza B. The vaccines used at the MIT Health flu clinic do not contain thimerosal or any preservatives.
Last year’s vaccine was quadrivalent, but this year’s is trivalent. Is this year’s vaccine less effective? Can I get a quadrivalent instead?
No, this year’s vaccine was formulated to match the viruses that are expected to be active this year. The Centers for Disease Control determined that, “because influenza B/Yamagata viruses, which are included in current four-component (quadrivalent) flu vaccines, are no longer actively circulating, their inclusion in flu vaccines is no longer warranted.” Learn more from the CDC announcement.
What if I have additional questions?
Send an email to comments-fluinfo@mit.edu.