How to Find the Flu Vaccine
Simply type your zip code into the “Flu Vaccine Finder” and multiple locations will appear where you can get the flu shot. The address of each location is shown along with phone number, business hours, available vaccines, and prices.
Using this search feature for cities such as Orlando, Houston, and Seattle yielded 50 locations within a ten-mile radius. Even the small town of Bath, NY brought three results: two pharmacies and a grocery store.
The number of flu vaccines administered has nearly doubled in the past 15 years. Greater awareness, convenience, availability, and reduced cost has contributed to this.
A Brief History
The flu, or influenza, is nothing new. It is among the three most deadly outbreaks of disease in recorded history. The Spanish Influenza of 1918-1919 killed an estimated 40 million people, nearly four times the number killed in World War I. This led to extensive research to develop a flu vaccine.
The first human influenza vaccine was tested in the 1930s and was used on soldiers in the early 1940s. In the mid-1940s, it was discovered that influenza strains change every year, so new vaccines would continually be needed. The flu vaccine was available, but for decades this was largely the domain of the family doctor.
In recent years all of that has changed. At first, it was difficult to get both people and authorities to accept that this very simple form of medical care could be administered outside of the doctor’s office. In 1999, only 22 states allowed pharmacists to give flu shots. Now all 50 states do.