the DOSE

Recent updates from your favorite local pharmacy

Vax season is around the corner…

… and before we know it we’ll be in the swing of the fall respiratory season(!). New updated COVID and flu shots should be available in the coming weeks. As to when is the best time to get your shot, here are our recommendations:

• COVID | Get a dose of the 2026-2027 version of the vaccine as soon as it is available OR at least 2 months after your last COVID vaccine dose.

• Flu | The best time to get a flu shot, if you live around these parts, is the last half of September to mid-November. If you get the vaccine too early, your immunity may wane prior to the end of the influenza season, leaving you vulnerable to the virus. That being said, however, there are reasons that you may want to get the vaccine earlier than that.

Depending on your age and other circumstances, her are some specific vaccination recommendations:

• Ages 6 months to 8 years old | For children getting a flu shot for the first time, 2 doses are needed. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids get their first dose as soon as possible so that they can get their second dose by the end of October. If your child has received at least 2 flu shots in the past, they’ll only need 1 dose, which they should get by the end of October.

  • NOTE: We can only vaccinate children 3 years and older against flu and COVID.

• Back-to-School Surges | Minnesota schools, universities, and daycare centers see a massive influx of closely gathered individuals in late August and early September. Getting vaccinated early gives the body the necessary 2 weeks to build antibodies before exposure to high-transmission environments.

• Ages 8 to 64 years old | Generally, the recommendation is to be vaccinated in September or October.

• Ages 65+ | Because older adults are at higher risk of complications, it’s recommended that a specially formulated flu shot for this age group (otherwise known as the “high-dose” flu shot) is given in September or October.

• Pregnant people | Pregnant individuals in their 3rd trimester are strongly encouraged to get the vaccine as soon as it becomes available (often late August or early September). This timing helps provide immediate protection to the birthing parent and passes critical, early antibodies to the newborn baby, who cannot be vaccinated themselves until they are 6 months old.

• International travel | If you are traveling outside of the United States, flu seasons vary globally. For instance, the flu can actively circulate in the Southern Hemisphere from April through September. Getting an early shot protects you before boarding long international flights or entering high-risk areas.

• Healthcare and essential workers | Individuals who face high daily exposure risks often opt for early protection to safeguard themselves and vulnerable patients before seasonal spikes begin. 

• Regarding egg allergies | People with egg allergies can receive any influenza vaccine formulation.

Have questions? Let us know!

HealthPartners Medicare Advantage agreement reached

We have finally come to terms with HealthPartners… After 11 months of negotiation—of making clear that we would not accept a contract that would lead us to lose money filling a majority of prescriptions, as is standard for independent pharmacies these days. As of August 28, 2026, we are now able to bill prescriptions and vaccines to HealthPartners Medicare Advantage plans! If you had to switch your medications to another pharmacy earlier this year because we were not in-network with HP Medicare Advantage, you may now transfer your prescriptions back to SPCD and we can fill and bill them, as well as administer and bill all of your vaccinations (just in time for the fall vaccine season!).

If you are one of the individuals with this plan that enrolled in our Cost Plus program in order to continue filling your prescriptions at SPCD without insurance, you can now choose to have us bill them to your HealthPartners plan again OR you can continue to receive your 3- to 6-month supplies using Cost Plus (remember, there are several benefits to filling your prescriptions this way!). Just let us know how you’d like to proceed.

It’s unfortunate that we had to say “no” to their initial offer and disrupt the process for so many of you, but sometimes we just have to say “no” to get to “yes,” and sometimes (many times) that doesn’t work either. In this case, thankfully, it did.

Welcome back if you had to leave us for a short period!

MNIndys Foundation

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