As the weather becomes cooler, it’s not only a sign that fall will soon be here, but that flu season is also around the corner. This year, ThedaCare™ is offering three convenient options for people to receive their seasonal flu shots.

Patients can choose to see their ThedaCare Physicians provider, visit a ThedaCare FastCare clinic or attend a ThedaCare At Home flu shot clinic to receive their seasonal vaccination. The regular flu shot is $35 and FluMist, which is administered via the nose, is $44. For patients over the age of 65, a high-dose vaccination, which has more than four times as much antigen as the regular shot, is available for $51. Most insurance providers and Medicare cover flu shots.

The pneumococcal vaccine is also available for adults. People over the age of 65 are encouraged to receive this vaccination, which helps prevent pneumonia. Medicare covers the cost.

"The influenza vaccine is one of the most important and easiest ways to prevent yourself from getting sick," said Miki Gould, ThedaCare’s infectious disease specialist. "The vaccine also helps stop the spread of influenza in the community so individuals like newborns, or immune-suppressed patients who cannot be vaccinated, stay healthy."

While Gould said experts advise that everyone receive an annual flu shot, some groups, such as children ages 6 months to 18 years old, pregnant women, people over the age of 50, people living with a chronic medical condition, people living in nursing homes, and healthcare workers are considered high-risk and should definitely receive the vaccination.

Patients can call their ThedaCare Physician office to schedule an appointment. The staff will handle any insurance billing needs and add any shots patients receive into their electronic medical record.

Patients can also walk into one of the three area FastCare Clinics, which are in the Shopko in north Appleton, the Shopko Express in Darboy or the Shopko in Oshkosh, to receive a flu shot. FastCare will handle the insurance billing and if you are a ThedaCare patient, your medical record will be updated. Please note, FastCare can only administer flu shots to patients who are 2 years or older.

ThedaCare Physicians and FastCare also offer FluMist, a nasal spray flu vaccine for patients ages 2 to 49, for $44. Please note FluMist may not be appropriate for all patients in that age range depending on some health restrictions.

People can call the ThedaCare At Home flu clinic hotline at (920) 730-3472 for clinic locations and times. No appointment is needed to attend, but everyone must be 18 years or older. Medicare Part B covers the cost of the flu and pneumonia shots so please bring ALL Medicare and insurance cards with you. All non-Medicare insurance will be handled with only cash and checks. Staff members will also add any shots received in ThedaCare patients’ electronic medical records.

Dates and locations of flu clinics:

ThedaCare™ is a community health system consisting of five hospitals: Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center, New London Family Medical Center, Shawano Medical Center, and Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca. ThedaCare also includes ThedaCare Physicians, ThedaCare Behavioral Health, and ThedaCare at Home. ThedaCare is the largest employer in Northeast Wisconsin with more than 6,175 employees. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information, media may contact Megan Wilcox, APR, (megan.wilcox@thedacare.org), public relations and corporate specialist for ThedaCare, at (920) 830-5847, or call the Theda Clark Medical Center switchboard at (920) 729-3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.