Flu shots available at HSHS Medical Group drive-thru locations, primary care offices

HSHS Medical Group is now offering the flu vaccine for anyone six months and older at their HSHS Drive-Thru Care locations in O’Fallon, Springfield and Decatur.

The drive-thru sites will only have regular-dose flu vaccines. For those needing a high-dose vaccine, they will need to coordinate that with their primary care office. The drive-thru locations are also not able to provide flu vaccines for children enrolled in the Illinois Medicaid Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. Patients enrolled in this program will need to coordinate with their primary care office or the local health department.

How to make a drive-thru vaccine appointment through MyHSHS

To create a free MyHSHS account and schedule an appointment online:

• Go to www.myhshs.org.
• Login or create a MyHSHS account by clicking “Sign Up Now.”
• Under Menu, click “COVID-19/Influenza Vaccine Scheduling.”
• Click “COVID-19 /Flu Vaccination” and answer questions on eligibility to schedule a flu vaccine, COVID vaccine or both.
• Choose from available appointments at the O’Fallon, Springfield and Decatur drive-thru locations.

Additionally, appointments for flu vaccines are now available to established patients at HSHS Medical Group primary care clinics in central and southern Illinois. Call a HSHS Medical Group primary care office or use MyHSHS to schedule an appointment.

Who Should Get a Flu Vaccine

Everyone 6 months and older needs a yearly flu vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends.

Getting vaccinated is even more important if you or someone you live with is at higher risk for complications from the flu. This group includes older adults, pregnant women, young children and people with chronic health problems, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or cancer. People in high-risk groups are more vulnerable to flu complications. They may become very sick if they get the flu. Some may have to go to a hospital. Nearly everyone should get a new flu vaccine every year. Even healthy people can get sick and pass it on, and past vaccines may not provide continued protection because flu viruses always change.

It takes two weeks to build immunity to the flu virus. HSHS encourages individuals to be vaccinated by the end of October so that their bodies can be ready to fight the flu when it gets here.

For more information about HSHS Medical Group, visit hshsmedicalgroup.org.

Additional source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services