Get your flu vaccination

Influenza is a serious illness. Getting an annual flu shot is one of the easiest and most effective ways to stay protected.

MIT Health flu clinics 

The MIT Health campus flu clinics have concluded. If you still need a flu vaccine, we suggest you get your flu immunization at a retail pharmacy, like CVS or Walgreens, at a flu clinic in your community, or from your primary care provider at MIT Health as part of an existing appointment. All MIT-sponsored insurance plans allow you to get your flu vaccine anywhere Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is accepted.  

Lincoln Laboratory flu clinics are available for individuals aged 18 and older BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. There will be no walk-in appointments available, and all appointments must be made 48 hours in advance. High-dose vaccines are available for patients ages 65 or older. 

How do I make an appointment for my flu immunization?

Making an appointment for the flu clinic is a two-step process. First you will need to select a date and time for your vaccine. Then, three days before your immunization appointment, you will need to respond to the email or text you receive from MIT Health by providing us with your health insurance information (or verifying what we have on file, if you are a current MIT Health patient). 

You MUST provide current health insurance information to receive your vaccination, and the fees associated with your immunization will be billed to your insurance. There will be no exceptions. Note: Flu vaccines are fully covered for students on MIT SHIP and for individuals who are on MIT-sponsored insurance plans.    

Step 1:  

Go online and select the date and time you would like to receive your immunization. You must make your appointment at least 48 hours in advance. There will be no walk-in appointments this year.  

The MIT Health campus flu clinics have concluded. If you still need a flu vaccine, we suggest you get your flu immunization at a retail pharmacy, like CVS or Walgreens, at a flu clinic in your community, or from your primary care provider at MIT Health as part of an existing appointment. All MIT-sponsored insurance plans allow you to get your flu vaccine anywhere Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is accepted.  

Lincoln Laboratory appointments are currently fully booked. Check back at a later date for additional availability or cancellations.  

 

Step 2 

Three days before your appointment, you will get a text message from 75442 or an email from MIT Health asking you to provide or verify your health insurance information. This step is required and must be completed before your appointment.  

You must provide your insurance information (or confirm the information we have on file) at least 48 hours before your appointment. If we do not have your insurance information 48 hours before your appointment, your appointment will be canceled, and you will need to book a new appointment to get your vaccination 

Finally, you must complete the entire registration process, which includes filling out consent forms. We cannot process your flu vaccine unless you fill out all the forms and answer every question.   

Who is eligible to get a flu immunization at the campus flu clinic?

Flu vaccines are available by appointment only to:  

  • Enrolled students, living on or off campus

  • All non-students living on campus, including family members ages 18 and older (children younger than 18 must get their vaccinations with their primary care provider, at a local pharmacy, or at a community flu clinic; no pediatric vaccines will be administered at the flu clinic)

  • All MIT employees and contractors with an MIT ID

  • MIT retirees and spouses (Note: Medicare Advantage Plans are not accepted at MIT Health.) 

Also eligible are: 

  • All MIT Health patients older than age 18 (Children younger than 18 must get their vaccinations with their primary care provider, at a local pharmacy, or at a local community flu clinic. They cannot come to the clinic.)

  • Anyone older than 18 who is covered by an MIT-sponsored employee health plan

  • Anyone covered by the MIT Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) 

Who is eligible to get a flu immunization at the Lincoln Laboratory clinic?

Flu vaccines are available by appointment only to current, badge-holding Lincoln Laboratory personnel, regardless of where they get their healthcare. Family members who are MIT Health patients can make immunization appointments at MIT Health’s Lexington Care Center or on campus, or they can get their flu immunizations at a retail pharmacy such as CVS or Walgreens. With an MIT-sponsored insurance plan, you can get your flu vaccine anywhere Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is accepted.  

If you need to make changes or cancel your appointment

Go online and use the MIT Health Digital Navigator to cancel or make changes to your appointment.   

Other options for getting your immunization

Get your flu immunization at a retail pharmacy, like CVS or Walgreens, at a flu clinic in your community, or from your primary care provider at MIT Health or elsewhere. All MIT-sponsored insurance plans allow you to get your flu vaccine anywhere Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is accepted.  

What if I need a record of my vaccination?

If you need physical documentation of your immunization, 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. You can also visit the state vaccine record database for information. Note: It can take up to several weeks for the information to be posted. 

About this year’s vaccine

The 2025–26 flu vaccine offered at MIT is trivalent, protecting against two strains of influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) and one strain of influenza B. Learn more. The vaccine is preservative-free and does not contain thimerosal. High-dose vaccines are available for individuals aged 65 and older. 

The flu vaccine does not provide protection against COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines will not be available at these flu clinics. You can get a COVID-19 vaccine at a local pharmacy.    

Active flu strains are different each year, so even if you got a flu immunization last year, you still need to get this year’s vaccine. More information about this year’s vaccine is available from the CDC (CDC Vaccine Information Statement) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Massachusetts Immunization Information System).  

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