Three free flu vaccination clinics are coming to the Monterey Peninsula in October, and none requires an appointment, insurance card or ID.

The Monterey County Health Department is partnering with schools and health care agencies to run eight no-cost clinics countywide between Oct. 7 and Oct. 28, Monterey County NOW reported Tuesday, Sept. 29. The county Health Department posted the schedule on Sept. 4.

Three of those clinics fall within the Peninsula area:

  • Tuesday, Oct. 13, and Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1–4 p.m. — CSU Monterey Bay, Otter Student Union, Room 208, 3118 Inter-Garrison Road, Seaside
  • Wednesday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. — Monterey Peninsula College, Sam Karas Room, 980 Fremont St., Monterey
  • Wednesday, Oct. 28, 4–7 p.m. — Mid Carmel Valley Fire Station, 8455 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel

The vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older. For young children, older adults and people with certain health conditions, flu shots can prevent serious complications and death, according to the Health Department.

This season's flu vaccines are trivalent, targeting three virus components all updated from last year's formulas. Four major medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians, recommend the shot for everyone 6 months and older, according to Healthline.

Flu hit hard last season. During the 2024-25 flu season, flu-related hospitalizations and outpatient visits reached a 15-year high nationally, with more than 710,000 hospitalizations and over 45,000 deaths, according to CDC data cited by the National Council on Aging.

Residents who cannot make a county clinic can also get flu shots at local pharmacies, often at no cost with insurance, according to Monterey County NOW.

Five additional county clinics are scheduled outside the Peninsula:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 7, 4–7 p.m. — Main Street Middle School, 411 Main St., Soledad
  • Saturday, Oct. 10, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. — Taylor Farms Family Health & Wellness Center, 850 5th St., Gonzales
  • Monday, Oct. 19, 4–7 p.m. — Alisal High School, 777 Williams Road, Salinas
  • Tuesday, Oct. 20, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. — Alisal WIC Farmer's Market, 632 Alisal St., Salinas
  • Sunday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. — Castroville Middle School, 10301 Seymour St., Castroville

The first Peninsula clinic opens at CSU Monterey Bay on Tuesday, Oct. 13.