National Influenza Vaccination Week Starts in December

During National Influenza Vaccination Week, both private and governmental entities encourage people to get vaccinated to protect themselves from serious illness leading up to the peak of flu season. Most health insurance plans include broad coverage for vaccines, though you may also be able to receive financial support through nonprofit organizations or public programs if you don’t have health insurance coverage.

Keep reading to learn about the history of National Influenza Vaccination Week and how you can receive your flu shot at an affordable price.

On This Page

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  What Is National Influenza Vaccination Week?

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  National Influenza Vaccination Week History

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  How To Get Insurance To Cover an Influenza Vaccine

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  How To Celebrate and Participate in National Influenza Vaccination Week

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  Flu Vaccination Resources

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  FAQs

What Is National Influenza Vaccination Week?

National Influenza Vaccination Week is an annual promotional campaign used by government agencies and other organizations to encourage Americans to be vaccinated against the flu during the early winter in order to prevent or reduce the severity of the illness and to help high-risk individuals avoid major influenza-related health complications.^[1]

When Is National Influenza Vaccination Week?

Official dates for this year’s National Influenza Vaccination Week have not been announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the dates for the event have not always stuck to a consistent pattern. For example, early on in the history of the celebration, the week after Thanksgiving was designated as National Influenza Vaccination Week.^[2]

However, in 2020 and 2021, the event occurred two weeks after Thanksgiving during the first full week of December — Dec. 6-12, 2020, and Dec. 5-11, 2021, respectively.^[1][3] In 2023 — the most recent time the CDC acknowledged Influenza Vaccination Week — the event similarly occurred during the first full week of December. But, unlike prior celebrations, it only included weekdays, lasting from Dec. 4-8, 2023.^[4]

Given recent trends, this year’s National Influenza Vaccination Week will most likely last from Dec. 7-13, 2025, or from Dec. 8-12, 2025.

Can You Get Your Influenza Vaccine Before National Influenza Vaccination Week?

It’s generally recommended that you get your flu shot in September or October — well before National Influenza Vaccination Week begins. Nevertheless, influenza cases tend to peak between December and February, so National Flu Vaccine Week messaging is crucial for promoting disease prevention leading up to the height of flu season.^[5]

National Influenza Vaccination Week History

The first National Influenza Vaccination Week took place in 2005.^[6] During the early years of the commemoration, the CDC partnered with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the National Influenza Vaccine Summit and other organizations to promote annual vaccination against influenza, especially for the following high-risk groups:^[7]

• Children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years
• Pregnant women
• Adults ages 50 and up
• People with chronic medical conditions
• People who live with or otherwise have regular contact with any of the high-risk categories mentioned above
• Health care workers

How To Get Insurance To Cover an Influenza Vaccine

If you are currently uninsured, the best way to find an insurance plan to cover your flu shot is to compare quotes from multiple health insurance companies. SmartFinancial makes comparison shopping simple, allowing you to receive multiple quotes for high-quality plans after filling out a brief online questionnaire. Get started on comparing health insurance quotes for free today!

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), all Health Insurance Marketplace plans and other ACA-compliant health plans must cover flu vaccines with no cost sharing when you receive your vaccine from a provider in your plan’s network. This means you won’t have to worry about paying a copay or coinsurance, even if you haven’t yet hit your annual deductible. Additionally, influenza immunizations are covered by Medicare Part B, Medicaid and TRICARE.^[8]

How To Celebrate and Participate in National Influenza Vaccination Week

The most straightforward way to celebrate National Influenza Vaccination Week is to get vaccinated yourself and to encourage your friends and loved ones to do the same. One of the best ways to do this is to post about flu vaccines on social media. For example, you could post a picture of yourself with your sleeve rolled up, showing the bandage over the spot on your arm where you got your shot.^[1]

Flu Vaccination Resources

While insurance is the best way to cover the cost of a flu shot, there are various resources that may be available if you are uninsured. For example, your children under the age of 19 can receive influenza shots through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, and you may only have to pay a small administrative fee. To qualify for VFC, your children must have little to no insurance coverage, be eligible for Medicaid or be an American Indian or Alaska Native.^[9]

Free vaccines for adults may be available at local health centers, which often serve underserved populations, such as veterans and individuals living in public housing communities. Alternatively, you may qualify for a voucher that lowers the cost of vaccines through your employer or a nonprofit organization. Finally, consider checking whether your state’s health department offers cheap or free flu shots.^[9]

Without insurance or other financial aid, flu shots can cost anywhere from $20 to $130, with vaccines recommended for elderly people generally being the most expensive.^[9]