Skip main navigation

Military Health System

Clear Your Cache

Health.mil has undergone a recent update. For the best user experience we recommend clearing your browser cache.

Time to Get Your Flu Shot and Your COVID-19 Booster, Too

Image of Senior MHS officials and medics from the Pentagon stand together Oct. 13 after receiving their flu shots and bivalent COVID-19 boosters..". Department of Defense leaders encourage Military Health System beneficiaries to get their annual flu shot concurrent with the COVID-19 bivalent booster. Here, senior military leaders pose with medics at DiLorenzo Pentagon Health Clinic after receiving both vaccines on Oct 13. From left to right: U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Paul Friedrichs, joint staff surgeon; Seileen Mullen, acting assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; U.S. Army Spc. Serena Nunez, medical records technician; U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Mychaela Cammack, noncommissioned officer in charge of primary care; Dr. Mike Malanoski, deputy director, Defense Health Agency; Dr. Dave Smith, acting principal deputy assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; Bill Saindon, executive medicine technician; and U.S. Army Sgt. Joshua Patti, medical readiness assistant NCOIC. Not pictured but also receiving vaccinations were U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. John DeGoes, U.S. Air Force deputy surgeon general, and U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Darin Via, U.S. Navy deputy surgeon general. Flu vaccines and COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccines are available at all military treatment facilities and through TRICARE-participating network pharmacies.

It’s shot season: Time again to get the annual influenza vaccination for you and your family. And this year, defense health officials are encouraging Military Health System beneficiaries to pair the flu shot with the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine booster if you’ve already had your primary vaccine series and are 12 and older.

U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Rear Adm. Brandon Taylor, the director of Defense Health Agency Public Health, said vaccines greatly reduce the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, and how “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”

You can get the influenza and COVID-19 shots at the same time, but that doesn’t mean double the side effects.

“COVID-19 vaccinations used to be given separately due to concerns about possible immediate side effects,” said Dr. David Hrncir, regional medical director of the Central Vaccine Safety Hub, DHA-Immunization Healthcare Division.

“However, with the very large number of immunizations, immediate side effects following receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine have proven to be extremely rare,” he said.

The bivalent boosters protect against the original form of the infectious respiratory disease as well as against the dominant omicron variant and its subvariants, which continue to mutate to become more easily transmissible.

When and Where to Get the Flu Shot

Ideally, everyone 6 months and older should be vaccinated for flu by the end of October, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Katie Martinez, deputy director of operations at IHD.
Nevertheless, getting the flu vaccine later can still offer protection, even if you get it in the fall or early winter.

All flu vaccines in the United States for the 2022-2023 season protect against four different circulating flu viruses.

There should be no shortage of vaccine. The Department of Defense “has received 100% of ordered flu vaccine, and 2 million doses have shipped to military medical treatment facility locations both CONUS and OCONUS for administration,” Martinez said.

“Shipments continue every week, and we recommend that beneficiaries check with their local military medical treatment facility for availability,” she noted.

All active-duty service members are required to get an annual flu shot. Vaccines are available to all MHS beneficiaries at military hospitals and clinics, at installation vaccination events, and through TRICARE participating network pharmacies. 

If you use a TRICARE-authorized provider, the flu shot itself comes at no cost, but when you get the vaccine from your provider, you may have a copay or cost-share for the office visit or for other services received during the office visit.

At-Risk Populations

It’s particularly important to get vaccinated against the flu and its potentially serious complications if you are at higher risk. 

CDC has a full list of age and health factors that mean an increased risk, but some of those populations are:

  • Immunocompromised
  • 5 years old and younger
  • 65 and older
  • Pregnant
  • Chronically ill

Influenza can cause significant illness, especially in children under 5. Getting the vaccine helps children protect themselves and more at-risk people they come in regular contact with, such as their grandparents or siblings under 6 months old.

Some children may need two doses of flu vaccine, CDC noted. Those children should get the first dose as soon as vaccine is available, because the second dose needs to be given at least four weeks after the first.

For those 65 and older, the CDC recommends one of three flu vaccines because they have shown in studies of older individuals to create a stronger immune response. These vaccines are:

If you have questions, consult with your provider about which vaccine is right for you, Martinez said.

Antiviral Treatment for Flu Symptoms

The CDC recommends treatment with antivirals for people who have flu or suspected symptoms and who are at higher risk of serious flu complications, such as people with asthma, diabetes, including gestational diabetes, or heart disease.

The antivirals work best when treatment is started within two days of becoming sick with flu symptoms and can lessen fever and flu symptoms and shorten the time you are sick by about one day, Martinez said.

When Will the Flu Season Start?

Flu season usually runs from October through May, peaking in December through February, but it can continue through June.

Global health organizations, including DHA, monitor influenza activity around the world so health agencies can work with industry to develop the best vaccines suited to the particular strains that are circulating.

One region they base their formulations on is the Southern Hemisphere. That’s because peak flu season is the fall and winter, and those seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere.

Hrncir said there was an “early influenza season in the Southern Hemisphere, so it is reasonable to expect an early influenza season this fall and winter in the Northern Hemisphere.”

The number of cases in Australia, for example, surpassed pre-COVID pandemic levels. However, since the start of the COVID pandemic in early 2020, the timing and duration of flu activity has been less predictable.

You also may be interested in...

Photo
May 27, 2022

Walter Reed Service Dogs

Luke is a German Shephard facility dog.

Luke, a German Shepherd facility dog at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, stays with wounded warrior Heath Calhoun at the Military Advanced Treatment Center facility while Calhoun undergoes rehab therapy. Luke is officially a Navy Hospital Corpsman Third Class.

Photo
Feb 11, 2022

Heart Attacks Infographic

Signs and symptoms of a heart attack can differ between women and men. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 quickly.

Signs and symptoms of a heart attack can differ between women and men. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 quickly.

Photo
Jul 2, 2020

Guam Plasma Collection

Technician takes notes next to convalescent plasma samples.

U.S. Naval Hospital Guam Hospitalman Apprentice Rebekah Morrison records the weight of convalescent plasma units collected from Sailors who recovered from COVID-19. (U.S. Navy Photo by Jaciyn Matanane/Released)

Photo
Dec 21, 2016

Drive-Thru Flu Shots

Medical staff at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, Georgia, immunized nearly 1,200 people recently with their drive-through flu vaccination event. (U.S. Army photo by John Corley)

Medical staff at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, Georgia, immunized nearly 1,200 people recently with their drive-through flu vaccination event. (U.S. Army photo by John Corley)

Photo
Sep 30, 2016

Exiting an A-10C Thunderbolt

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Judith Bulkley, an electrical and environmental systems specialist deployed from the 23rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga., exits an A-10C Thunderbolt II after performing an external power operations check on the aircraft at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. Because service members in particular are often exposed to high noise levels, hearing protection is crucial, especially with a TBI. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Stephen Schester)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Judith Bulkley, an electrical and environmental systems specialist deployed from the 23rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga., exits an A-10C Thunderbolt II after performing an external power operations check on the aircraft at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. Because service members in particular are ...

Photo
Sep 29, 2016

Sunrise Yoga Class

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Tara Paradiso participates in a sunrise yoga class on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. If you’re thinking of adding exercise to your pain management plan, consider the following types: aerobic, strength, and flexibility. But make sure your exercise program is specifically tailored to your needs. Some exercises might be easier or more difficult to complete depending upon the type and location of your pain. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chris Liaghat)

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Tara Paradiso participates in a sunrise yoga class on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. If you’re thinking of adding exercise to your pain management plan, consider the following types: aerobic, strength, and flexibility. But make sure your exercise program is specifically tailored to your ...

Photo
Sep 23, 2016

Healthy aging starts sooner than you think

Air Force Staff Sgt. Nick Crouse, a medical technician with the 193rd Special Operations Wing's Medical Group out of Middletown, Pennsylvania, takes the blood pressure of a patient. Heart disease, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are three ailments that take a huge toll on the body as it ages. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Air Force Staff Sgt. Nick Crouse, a medical technician with the 193rd Special Operations Wing's Medical Group out of Middletown, Pennsylvania, takes the blood pressure of a patient. Heart disease, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are three ailments that take a huge toll on the body as it ages. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Photo
Sep 22, 2016

Lt. Col. James Morrison getting adjustments to cochlear implant

Dr. Elizabeth Searing (right) makes initial adjustments via a computer to Lt. Col. James Morrison's cochlear implant. Dr. April Luxner, an audiologist with Cochlear Corporation, was on hand to witness Morrison's reactions to hearing with his right ear after 12 years of deafness. (U.S. Army photo by Jeff Troth)

Dr. Elizabeth Searing (right) makes initial adjustments via a computer to Lt. Col. James Morrison's cochlear implant. Dr. April Luxner, an audiologist with Cochlear Corporation, was on hand to witness Morrison's reactions to hearing with his right ear after 12 years of deafness. (U.S. Army photo by Jeff Troth)

Photo
Feb 26, 2016

Breathing techniques

Airmen and Soldiers practice breathing and relaxation during their off duty time in a deployed location. Stress can take its toll on your mental and physical health, including your heart health, but there are breathing techniques to buffer yourself from it. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Airmen and Soldiers practice breathing and relaxation during their off duty time in a deployed location. Stress can take its toll on your mental and physical health, including your heart health, but there are breathing techniques to buffer yourself from it. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Skip subpage navigation
Refine your search
Last Updated: February 25, 2025
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on YouTube Subscribe to updates from the MHS