The influenza (flu) vaccine is a benefit for all Vanderbilt University and Medical Center faculty and staff. Yearly flu vaccination helps to reduce sick time, medical costs and the spread of flu in the community. The best defense against the flu is getting vaccinated. We encourage everyone to be vaccinated to protect themselves, and to reduce the risk that you could spread flu to others, such as patients, coworkers and family members.
This year Vanderbilt offers quadrivalent influenza vaccines for all employees. The quadrivalent flu vaccine is designed to protect against four different flu viruses; two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses.
Please note that due to low effectiveness, we will not offer Flu Mist this year.
Flu vaccines offered by Occupational Health
| Type | Who qualifies | Where to get it |
| Quadrivalent Inactivated Vaccine (QIV)1 | Anyone over 6 months old who is not allergic to eggs | OHC, any OHC event, or Peer Vaccination Program |
| FluBlok2 egg-free vaccine | People with life-threatening egg allergy |
OHC or OHC on-site events at One Hundred Oaks (subject to supply availability) |
| High dose3 vaccine (Quadrivalent inactivated) | People age 65 and older |
OHC or OHC on-site events at One Hundred Oaks (subject to supply availability) |
1Most of our QIV is latex-free and thimerosal-free.
2Flublok is a trivalent influenza vaccine that is FDA approved for adults ages 18 and up. It does not use chicken eggs in its manufacturing process so it is safe for people with a life-threatening egg allergy.
3High dose vaccine contains four times the standard adult dose, and is more effective in people age 65 and older. This form of vaccine causes more arm soreness and other side effects than the standard dose. Faculty/staff age 65 and older may choose to take either standard or high dose vaccine.
